Retelling Descendants
by Reincarnations
Summary: This is a retelling of the movies and/or books WITH the events of Kingdom Hearts being referred to. In this story, a child of light is born with darkness, while a child of darkness is born with light.
1. Descendants: Chapter 1

**The description basically explains what happens with this story. Each movie will be put together in this one story and I may do the books too. The trailers of the third movie actually gave me this idea.**

**If you like the story, please be sure favorite, follow, or leave a review so I know whether this story is good enough to be continued.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Although this may seem far-fetched, all the kingdoms that make up Auradon were at one time separate worlds among different galaxies.

With some powerful magic, the worlds that had six of the seven 'Princesses of Light' came together first. They elected Beast as the 'king', leaving him in charge of contacting other worlds to see if they want to be part of Auradon. To his surprise, many worlds that he contacted declined.

Don't look so shocked! Those worlds all had very good reasons as to why they said 'no'. The first world was far too advanced for them to believe in kings and queens, prince and princesses, etc. One claimed that their people were too 'scary' for them to be accepted with royalty; they would be far more satisfied with making the children laugh to provide them with energy to generate their world. Another insisted that they were fine living as they were—sailing on the seas looking for treasure.

Once all the worlds, that wanted to, came together, they had to decide on what to do with the villains from each other. Thanks to Fairy Godmother's magic wand, an island was created where the villains were resurrected and placed there to live out their lives with the ultimate punishment—a life with no magic. A magical dome was placed on the island to prevent the villains from leaving or using magic. The island came to be known as the 'Isle of the Lost'.

Now, twenty years later in the castle of Beauty and the Beast, their son, Prince Ben, kept gazing out the window.

Even from way across the sparkling blue sea, Ben could see the magical barrier flickering and shimmering over the Isle of the Lost. It was so beautiful, that far-off isle of exiled prisoners . . . but Ben couldn't help feeling sad at the sight of it.

The royal tailor fitted Ben into his blue coronation suit, jotting Ben's measurements down on a notepad, when Belle and Beast strolled into the room.

"How is it possible that you're going to be crowned king next month?" Beast wondered, blinking his blue eyes behind black bold-frame glasses. The king hadn't needed the spectacles before, but the queen told their son about a monster—Heartless, as they were said to be called—managing to damage his eyes while he himself was still . . . well, a beast. Beast only needed them every so often when his vision became blurred.

The gold crown atop Beast's head glittered in the sunlight that shined through the windows. Soon, the crown would be passed down to Ben in a few short weeks. "You're just a baby!" Beast exclaimed.

"He's turning sixteen, dear," Belle chided cheerily, looking lovely in her yellow dress.

"Hey, Pops," Ben greeted with a small smile.

"_Sixteen?_" Beast repeated incredulously, taking off his glasses. "That's far too young to be crowned king. I didn't make a good decision until I was at least . . . forty-two." He smiled and tucked his glasses into his jacket pocket.

Belle faced him with a small frown on her delicate features. "Uh, you decided to marry me at twenty-eight," she reiterated sharply.

"It was either you or a teapot." Beast winked at his son, causing the teen to chuckle at the harmless joke. His wife gave him a pointed look. "Kidding," he promised, though his eyebrows were dancing amusingly at his son.

"Mom, Dad." Ben began to walk forward, but the tailor chided him. With a soft sigh, he settled back on the podium. "I've chosen my first official proclamation," he announced.

Beast and Belle looked at each other and smiled. They were proud that their son was already thinking ahead, but that wouldn't last long.

"I've decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost should be given a chance . . . to live here in Auradon," said Ben.

His parents gawked at him, wide-eyed. They were _not_ expecting that. They were expecting something that could help improve their people's life; not something that could potentially endanger them.

The tailor, sensing the sudden tension, sat down to work on Ben's pant leg to keep himself from interrupting the conversation.

"Every time I look out at the island," Ben began, gesturing toward the isle out the window. He stepped off the podium, away from the tailor, who tried to not show his irritation. "I feel like they've been abandoned."

"The children of our _sworn_ enemies?" Beast clarified dubiously. "_Living among us?_"

"We start out with a few at first," Ben explained cautiously, mainly to help avoid his father's temper. "Only ones who need our help the most." He smiled confidently. "I've already chosen them."

"Have you?" Beast stalked forward almost challengingly, his eyebrows furrowing, causing his son's smile to falter.

Belle placed a hand on Beast's arm, attempting to stop him from making a mistake. "I gave _you_ a second chance," she reminded softly. She gazed at Ben. "How did you choose the children?"

"I wrote to Ma—_Professor _Yen Sid," Ben revealed carefully. The old master of a powerful weapon called the keyblade lives on the Isle of the Lost so he could teach the villain's children how to live a life without magic. "He gave me the names of four children who would be the best option to come to Auradon first."

Belle raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Who are their parents?"

Ben sighed, knowing this encounter would go south quickly. "Cruella de Vil," he began leisurely, "Jafar, Evil Queen . . ." He trailed off, mostly because he was fearful of how his parents would react to the last name, but his parents urged him to continue. Taking a breath, Ben straightened his stance to appear more confident. "And Maleficent."

The tailor gasped at the declaration, dropping the notepad he had previously been writing on. He bowed his head respectfully as the butlers opened the door for him. The tailor slunk quietly out of the room so he wouldn't be present in the king's anger.

"_Maleficent?!"_ Beast shouted ferociously. "She is the worst villain in the land! Don't you remember what we told you of what she has done to everyone in Auradon? To your own mother!"

"Dad, just hear me out!" Ben pleaded, mainly because he felt his own temper rising. "Professor Yen Sid listed Maleficent's child first. His reasoning—"

"No, I won't hear of it!" Beast bellowed, shaking his finger to prove a point. "They are guilty of _unspeakable_ crimes! Three of those you mentioned attempted to steal the hearts of _seven_ princesses!"

"But their children are innocent!" Ben argued as he clenched his fist in aggravation.

"Ben," Belle scolded as she lightly gestured to his scrunched hand. "You need to control it."

Ben glanced down for a moment before sighing exasperatingly. The tops of his knuckles were surrounded by a purplish-black fog—darkness. For as long as he could remember, Ben always had a small part of darkness in him that he wasn't able to control, especially when his temper was close to breaking. Only his parents knew about his darkness and did everything they could to help him hide it. The fact that Ben was surrounded by people who had large amount of light inside them helped to mask his darkness.

With a disgruntle groan, Ben exhaled a calm breath, forcing the darkness to dissipate into his flesh.

"Look at yourself!" Beast bellowed in anger. "By bringing more darkness to Auradon, you are putting yourself in danger by giving _your_ darkness more of a chance to consume you."

"I can control it," Ben reassured, though he didn't sound too convincing. "I'll prove it when they come to Auradon. Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life, like I was given?"

Beast stared long and hard at his son, waiting for the moment that he would forget the ridiculous idea. Ben only watched him pleadingly, though his eyes only showed determination.

Beast broke the gaze with a sigh, yielding. "I suppose the children _are_ innocent."

Beast walked off before his son could say anything. Belle stepped in front of Ben, straightening his blue suit jacket with an encouraging smile. "Well done," she praised.

Ben gave a small smile as a 'thank you', watching as she turned her back to him and walked out of his bedroom with his father.

The future king adverted his attention back to the Isle, silently hoping that he was making the right decision.


	2. Descendants: Chapter 2

**UPDATE WARNING****: This story will be updated once every week as I will soon have five to six stories to keep up with. When Descendants 3 comes out, this story may be updated every other week so I can focus and finish the final story in my 'Raised on the Isle' series. I am currently a chapter and a half ahead, so I may not have to change the updating schedule of this story. I will let you know in a future chapter if it's necessary.**

**Just a heads up: I changed Maleficent so she acted more like she did in the Kingdom Hearts games. She was just too out of character in Descendants. No diss on Kristin Chenoweth! She played a great Maleficent.**

**Be sure to leave a review on what you think about this chapter. The next one will be a little more . . . interesting.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

On the Isle of the Lost, Mal—the daughter of the malevolent Maleficent—spray-painted a battered city wall.

With her shoulder length purple hair, leather jacket with a decal of two dragons on the back to form a heart, and tough-as-nails boots, Mal had trouble written all over her. Her mother was known for traveling to many worlds, spreading darkness and creating anarchy for those who attempted to obstruct her. Mal needed to live up to her mother's reputation, and somehow surpass it, if she were to survive much longer on the dreaded island.

The bilious green spray paint spelled out LONG LIVE EVIL on the abused wall. Mal holstered her paint can, scrutinizing her work in dissatisfaction. This is one of the only things she could do to cause mischief and mayhem on the isle filled to brim with villains. Mal had a long way to go if she wished to satisfy her mother.

Mal crept into the bustling marketplace, where the horde quickly swept her in, blending her into the sea of haggard, worn faces that wished to be set free from their prison.

Jay, son of the conniving Jafar, watched Mal vanish into the crowd as he gazed over the bazaar from the rooftop of a nearby building. Oozing confidence, with his long dark hair and biceps that bulged out of his leather vest, Jay smiled, his eyes glinting dangerously.

His father aided Maleficent in her first attempt to take over the worlds, but his allegiance costed him his freedom, now a prisoner to a magical lamp. His loyal companion, a parrot named Iago, freed him for a brief moment before those three meddling travelers hoodwinked him back into his lamp.

In several cobra-like moves, Jay slid down a rusty ladder from the rooftop. Those who knew Jay would say that he was dirty, no good, bad to the bone. The only thing he had to worry about was stealing enough merchandise for his father's store.

Evie, daughter of egotistical Evil Queen, spotted Jay making his way toward the street. She strutted across a table, causing the disheveled urchins to struggle to eat. They gawked at Evie's dazzling smile, dark wavy hair, and hypnotizing eyes. She wore all blue, with a red heart gem necklace topped by a gold crown. A natural beauty, though you couldn't tell under all the makeup. Her mother taught her looks were everything.

Speaking of the self-absorbed woman, she once sought the heart of her step-daughter, going so far to mislead a male traveler into thinking the young princess was the cause of the darkness in their world, to become the fairest of them all. The male traveler and a blue-haired woman each foiled her plan.

Carlos, son of eccentric Cruella de Vil, spied Evie as he climbed out of a broken window and skidded into the rowdy streets. Carlos was a skinny teen with white hair with black roots, decked out in a red, white, and black leather jacket and boots. As he walked through the bazaar, he stole a handkerchief and swiped an apple. Villagers considered him a callous lowlife, though nothing compared to his mother.

His mother dog-napped ninety-nine Dalmatian puppies to make a lovely fur coat. The puppies escaped and her world became consumed in darkness during her search for them. A world traveler—the same age as Carlos—found every single puppy during his first adventure of traveling the worlds and returned them to their parents in their safe haven.

Evie and Mal emerged from a back alley with Carlos racing to them as Jay leaped down from a building to join. The four friends united once again, to the displeasure of the villagers. They slid aside a chain-link gate and marched from warehouse to warehouse. They ran through clothes hanging on lines and banged old washing basins. Jay stole a teapot. Evie flirted with a merchant. Carlos kicked over a food basket. As they stomped out onto the filthy street, the friends struck fear and respect into the hearts of the street hawkers, pick-pockets, and scam artists. The four teens were truly rotten to the core in their own way.

Mal snatched a lollipop out of a passing child's hand, causing the child to cry. She took a lick of the sour treat before holding it up triumphantly. Mal's friends laughed, pleased with her wicked stunt.

Suddenly, a sinister shadow loomed in their path. All the merchants scampered away in fear of what that 'shadow' might do to them, hiding in their shops for safety. It usually meant one thing.

Mal sighed lightly, mainly to give herself some confidence and to lower her heart-rate. Turning around, she came face to face with two unruly henchmen that stood a foot taller than her. "Hi, Mom," Mal greeted with a mischievous smile.

The henchmen cleared the way to make room for the infamous Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil. Her horns were wrapped in leather to hide the scars from when the Nobodies attacked her, during her _only _act of kindness. She carried her famous scepter, the same one that Mal nearly had her heart taken for.

"Stealing candy, Mal?" Maleficent interrogated as she surveyed her daughter, her eyes flashing venomous green. "I am _so_ disappointed."

Mal scrunched up her face, hearing that phrase too many times for her liking. "It was from a _baby_," she added cheerily, holding out the lollipop.

Maleficent narrowed her eyes. "Is that all you can do?" She wondered snidely. "_That_ is the _lowest_ crime anyone can commit!"

She snatched the lollipop from Mal's hand and handed it to one of her henchmen. "Give it back to the dreadful creature," Maleficent ordered, eyes gleaming.

"Mom. . ." Mal whined, annoyed at how her mother _always_ had to ruin her fun. Nothing could impress her.

The henchman trotted off to return the lollipop to the mother of the baby.

"You need to do more than your simple tricks!" Maleficent scolded as she gestured extravagantly. "When I was your age, I was cursing entire worlds!"

Mal mouthed along: "_Cursing entire worlds!_" She rolled her eyes. That was the reason why the people feared her so much. Maleficent came _dangerously_ close to ruling the whole universe because of two words: Kingdom. Hearts.

"Walk with me," Maleficent demanded, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder and guiding her forward. "You see, I'm trying to teach you the one thing that matters: how to use _your_ darkness for your own needs."

"I know that," Mal insisted, nodding her head fearfully to hide her nervousness. "I'll do better."

"Oh! There is news." Maleficent turned and gestured to Mal and her friends. "The four of you have been chosen to transfer to a different school." She paused for a moment to raise her head slightly to watch their reaction. "In Auradon."

At these words, Evie, Jay, and Carlos attempted to flee, only to be snatched up by Maleficent's henchmen. Mal gawked at her mom, eyes widening in disbelief. Her friends stopped struggling against their captors when they saw it was no use.

"_What?_" Mal cried in horror. "Mom, I'm not going to some boarding school filled to the bring with prissy pink princesses!"

"And perfect princes!" Evie added dreamily as she stepped beside Mal.

Mal glared at her, causing Evie's smile vanished. "Ugh!" she shouted, feigning a look of disgust.

"And I don't do 'uniforms'," Jay remarked as he used air-quotes. "Unless it's leather. You feelin' me?" He grinned and tried to high-five a terrified Carlos, who stepped toward Maleficent.

"I read somewhere that they allow dogs in Auradon," Carlos said. "Mom said they're rabid pack animals who eat boys who don't behave." He gulped, unblinking. Jay sneaked behind Carlos and barked in his ear. Carlos jumped back and Jay laughed while Evie grinned evilly at the timeless joke.

"Yeah, Mom, we're not going," Mal argued matter-of-factly. "You are not going to start to see me doing curtsies and book reports." She snarled her nose at the horrid thought.

"You will do as I say," Maleficent warned lightly as she glared at her daughter. "It is about _world domination_." She turned on her heel, sweeping her cloak, and took off down the empty street, flanked by her devoted thugs. "Mal!" she shouted over her shoulder, beckoning her daughter forth.

Mal and her friends exchanged glances before reluctantly following Maleficent.

* * *

Maleficent's tenement apartment, sat directly above Bargain Castle.

It was dark, dusty, and dirty. The colored windowpanes were mismatched and blocked out the sun. Lights in the green crystals swayed from the high ceiling. The whole foul place smelled of sulfur. Maleficent was seated in her tall green throne chair, looking as menacing as ever. Mal and her three friends and their three parents sat around the apartment, waiting for Maleficent to explain why she had summoned all of them.

The villains had seen better days. Cruella, with her wild black-and-white hair, wore a ratty, nearly bald black-and-white faux dog-fur coat, which sported a bejeweled stuffed toy Dalmatian head next to her neck. She stroked it lovingly as if it were alive. Jafar, with his trademark mustache and goatee, was rocking a potbelly, a comb-over, and puffy Sansabelt pants. Evil Queen, a former beauty, pulled at her cosmetically altered face and stared into a mirror. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos feared their parents, nonetheless.

"You _will_ go," Maleficent commanded the teens forcefully. "You will find the Fairy Godmother and you will bring _me_ her magic wand."

The children hid their surprise fairly well. Of course, their parents would want them to do something so evil. However, Mal didn't seem too thrilled with the plan. "What's in it for us?"

"Matching thrones," Maleficent commented absentmindedly. "Hers and hers crowns."

Carlos gestured to his friends. "Um, I—I think she meant _us_."

Maleficent stood, beckoning Mal to her. "It's all about you and me." She promised as leaned closer to Mal. "Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer? To see _darkness_ cover everything in its path?"

"Well, yeah." Mal answered a little too quickly. "I mean, who doesn't?"

"Then get me the wand. You and I can see all that, and so. Much. More." Maleficent drawled menacingly as her eyes started to glow. "And with that wand and my scepter"—she held up her arms dramatically—"I will be able to bend both good and evil to my will!"

Evil Queen lowered her mirror with a narrow of her eyes. "_Our_ will," she corrected.

"Our will," Maleficent calmly agreed, trying to prevent an argument. She adverted her attention back to her daughter. "And if you refuse, I will ground you for the rest of your life."

"_What?"_ cried Mal, distressed. "Mom!"

Maleficent snapped to cut off Mal's protest. She stared into her daughter's eyes and Mal stared right back at her. The stare intensified as their eyes began to glow. It was a test of power and focus. Mal and her mother did this every so often when they had a disagreement. Maleficent always won.

Mal tore away her gaze. "Fine," she huffed begrudgingly, "whatever."

"I win again," Maleficent boasted with a victorious smirk.

Maleficent stepped down from her podium, addressing the room. "_People_ used to cower at the mention of our names." She commented slowly as she began her long speech. "For twenty years, I have searched for a way off this dreaded island. For twenty years, they have robbed us of our _revenge_. Revenge on Snow White and her _horrible_ little men. Revenge on Aladdin and his genie. Revenge on those Dalmatian that escaped to other worlds."

"And I, _Maleficent_, the evilest of them all . . ." she continued. "I will finally have my revenge on Sleeping Beauty, her relentless prince, _and_ that dreadful _Beast_ that foiled my plans and trapped us here."

Maleficent turned to Evil Queen and nodded at Evie. "It's time," Maleficent asserted. "Give her the magic mirror."

With a reluctant sigh, Evil Queen handed her precious mirror to her evil little princess.

"This is your magic mirror?" Evie wondered, sounding disappointed. "But I thought it could trap people inside. . ."

"At one time, when it wasn't a mere shard," Evil Queen corrected with a soft sigh. "It will still help you find anything that you want or need."

Evie's face lit up. "Like a prince!"

"_Like_ the magic wand." Maleficent advised with a stern glare.

She sauntered to her bookshelf, pulling out a book with a brown leathery cover, which featured a gold embossed dragon. "My spell book." Maleficent announced as she lovingly stroked the spine, her daughter instinctively stepping closer. "It helped me every time I attempted to take over a world. I managed to steal the heart of a princess because of it." She sighed fondly. "It doesn't work here, but it will in Auradon. . ."

Maleficent spun to her daughter. "And now, it will help you. . ." She offered the spell book to Mal, but before Mal could take it, she snatched it away. "By doing _exactly _as I tell you." She shoved the spell book into Mal's arms.

A horn sounded from the street causing most of the villains and their children to jump at the sudden noise.

As everyone filed out of the room, Maleficent threw open the doors and led Mal onto the balcony. They looked over the busy isle streets strung with lights and gazed across the sea. Auradon Prep could be seen nestled in the majestic green mountains. Mal couldn't believe that she'd be there, and so soon.

"The future of the free world rests on your shoulders." Maleficent placed a hand on Mal's shoulder and gave her a stern warning, "Don't blow it." She winked and disappeared inside.

Mal lingered on the balcony, not taking her eyes off Auradon. She was afraid but also excited. She wondered if there was someone on the mainland looking back at her. . .

Mal finally broke her gaze when she felt a tingling sensation in her hand. Gazing down, she didn't appear surprised when she noticed her hand covered in a strange white glow.

_Light_.

Ever since she was a little girl, Mal has had the light inside her. It always appeared when she became nervous, stress, scared . . . Basically any time when her darkness _should_ appear, her light appears instead. Only one other person on the Isle knows her dark secret. He swore he would keep it a secret to protect Mal from her mother _and_ the other villains.

"Mal!" Her mother shouted, knocking Mal from her thoughts.

Flexing her hand to force the light to disappear, Mal headed back inside, but not before giving the tiny dot that was Auradon Prep one last look.

From below, the horn honked again, a reminder that it was time to depart.

* * *

A black stretch limo parked outside Maleficent's tenement. It looked wildly out of place in the squalid city. Villagers crowded around it curiously. Jay, Carlos, and Evie walked outside, whooping with glee to see their ride.

"Ugh," Evil Queen complained, eyeing the villagers. "Smells like common folk."

The driver emerged from the limo in a crisp gray suit and dark sunglasses. He took the teens' luggage—Jay's carpetbag, Evie's suitcase and sewing machine, and Carlo's big black trash bag—and loaded it into the trunk. Jay swiped the crown-shaped hood ornament and climbed into the limo along with Evie and Carlos.

Mal walked out of her home and handed the driver her bag. He tossed it in and slammed the trunk shut. She took one last look up at the balcony, where her mother gave her an 'I have my eye on you' sign. Mal nodded, hopping into the limo before the light could appear again.

The driver slid into his seat and shut the door. "The jackals have landed," he recounted into a mike inside his lapel.

The villains waved good-bye to their children from outside the limo as it began to roll. On the street, the villagers looked on as the limo cruised away.

Mal and her friends took in the inside of the limo. They ogled all the buttons, gadgets, colored lights, refreshments, and vast arrays of chocolates, gumballs, jawbreakers, jellybeans, rock candies, and other sweets. Jay wrenched open the fridge. His friends played with the sound system, unwrapped candies and opened cans of soda, and pressed every button, quickly trashing the limo.

Evie went at Mal with a makeup brush. "You're looking a little washed out. Let me help you out."

"Ew, stop." Mal batted her away. "I'm plotting."

"Well, it's not very attractive," commented Evie, gnawing on blue rock candy.

Carlos wolfed down a chocolate peanut butter cup and shook his head with wonder. "Oh! These! It's salty like nuts, but it's sweet like I don't know what."

"Let me see," Jay demanded.

Carlos opened his mouth for Jay to look at the chewed-up peanut butter cup on his tongue. Some fell out. Jay took a cup from Carlos and popped it into his mouth.

Mal clicked a remote. The screen that separated the teens from the driver opened.

"Look!" Evie exclaimed, now that she had a clear view out the front of the limo.

The four teens stared ahead at the ruined remains of a bridge and the impenetrable barrier. There was just sea ahead. It looked like they were going to be driven straight into the water. They cowered.

"It's a trap!" Carlos shouted, terrified.

They all screamed. Carlos jumped onto Jay, and Evie clung to Mal for dear life. The driver pushed a remote attached to the visor. The limo hit the ruins of the bridge and barreled through the barricade. They did not hurtle into the sea. Instead, a magnificent bridge appeared under the steady wheels of the limo. Quickly, Mal and her friends composed themselves, embarrassed about losing their cool. Jay peeled Carlos off him.

"What just happened?" Carlos wondered.

"It must be magic!" Evie deduced with a happy smile.

Mal tapped the wall behind the driver. "Hey!" She held up the remote she had in her hand. "Did this little button just open up the magic barrier?" she asked him.

"Nope." The driver indicated the remote on his visor. "_This_ one opens the magic barrier." He motioned at the remote Mal held. "That one opens my garage. And this one . . ." He pushed a button and the screen slid up, shutting off Mal and her friends.

"Nasty." Mal smiled approvingly. "I like that guy."

The limo traveled across the bridge, which continued to extend over the wide expanse of water toward Auradon. The bridge behind the limo disappeared, leaving no way for them to travel back or for anyone to follow. The driver pulled the limo into the sunny kingdom of Auradon and slowed in front of a sign:

WELCOME TO AURADON PREP.

GOODNESS DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER.


	3. Descendants: Chapter 3

**Here is the next chapter of the story!**

**I'm sure a majority of you have seen the official trailer for Descendants 3. My heart ached the entire time. It's too far away! I can't wait any longer! **

**However. . . I did get an idea that will most likely change some events in the third movie for this story. Let's just say, there**_** is **_**something more powerful than the scepter **_**AND **_**Hades's ember. . .**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_On their travel to the Forbidden Fortress, they trudged on in silence for a while, when a sharp whistle cut through the air. It was from Jay, who had been scouting ahead. Evie took a step and crunched twigs loudly underfoot, while Carlos looked up fearfully._

_Mal whistled back._

_Jay jogged to where the three of them were huddled together._

"_What is it?" Mal hissed._

"_I saw something—in the shadows. Hide!" he whispered fiercely, disappearing behind a rock._

_Carlos yelped and tried to climb a tree, the bark scratching his knees. Evie screamed softly and dove behind some blackberry bushes._

_But Mal froze in place. She couldn't move, for some reason. At first it was because she felt annoyed to think that any daughter of Maleficent would have to hide from _anything_. But as the shadow loomed larger and approached, she worried she had made the wrong decision._

_The shadows had a pair of large horns and enormous claws. Was it a dragon? No, her mother was the only dragon in these parts, and had lost the ability to transform into one, once the magic-shielding had been put in place._

_Then there was a growl, a terrible wailing unlike anything they had ever heard._

_It was a hell-hound, for sure. A creature of myth and legend, a creature of tooth and fang, blood and fur._

_Then, the creature emerged from the shadows. Mal held her breath to keep herself from screaming in fright._

_Heartless, physical living manifestations of the darkness within people's hearts. Mal heard they manifest in two forms; 'Pureblood' and 'Emblem'. They behave entirely devoid of emotion, hence the name 'Heartless'._

_This Heartless was merely a Shadow, one of the weaker, more common Heartless. It still posed a threat to those that had no way of killing it, specifically those that did not have a Keyblade. A normal Shadow has a vaguely humanoid body structure. It has a round, spherical head with twisted antennas sprouting out of the top of its head. Each of its hands has three clawed fingers, and its feet are large and lack any discernible digits. With the exception of its eyes, the Shadow's body is completely black._

_However . . . this Shadow seemed smaller than what had been described to Mal. The Shadow couldn't have been no larger than a two month old puppy. Why did it look so weak?_

_Going against her better judgement, Mal went to her knees and offered her hand to the ill Heartless. The Shadow stared at her in what could be disbelief or confusion. When it didn't step any closer, Mal glanced at the trio to see if any of them were watching. Deeming that they weren't, Mal removed the glove from her other hand and offered it instead, a thin layer of light covering it. _

_Curious, the Shadow slunk forward and took her hand in both of its hands. It was strange to watch such a small creature consume her light when it didn't have a mouth to consume it with. Her light merely seeped into its skin, the Shadow growing right before Mal's sight. Once the Shadow grew to a proper size, Mal forced her light away so the others couldn't see it. The Shadow gazed up at her, almost like it was pouting. _

"_I'm sorry," Mal apologized as a small genuine smile formed on her lips. "That's all I can give you without me being ill."_

_Apparently not liking that response, the Shadow scurried away before she could stop it._

"Mal."

Mal snapped out of her daze and turned her head to see her three friends staring at her in concern.

"You were staring off into space again," Jay enlightened quietly. "By the smile on your face, you weren't just plotting, were you?"

Mal sighed as her smile faded to a frown. "I was thinking about that Shadow," she revealed, "the one we met in the woods. I wished I could have told i—_her_ goodbye."

Carlos shook his head in amusement. "I still can't believe you _tamed_ a Heartless! Professor used to tell us about how dangerous they were."

"I still don't understand what they are," Evie complained as she checked her flawless appearance again. "My mother told me about creatures called the Unversed. She said nothing about Heartless."

"The Unversed are the opposite of human life and grow from negative emotions," Mal explained, since the boys had no idea what they were. "Since emotion is a key concept in their conception, they are usually seen with smiling, angry, and crying 'faces'. Once their creator was vanquished, the Unversed ceased to exist."

"The Heartless are living embodiments of darkness created when a heart is swallowed by Darkness," Mal informed Evie, though she wasn't really paying attention. "Some Heartless were created from machines, but all Heartless act on instinct, seeking out even more hearts to consume and add onto their ranks. Heartless will ally with whoever is the strongest."

"Must be why the Shadow liked you so much." Jay deduced. "She knew your darkness was stronger than of ours."

Mal adverted her attention to the view outside the window. "Yeah," she muttered. "Must be why . . ."

* * *

The limo cruised through the sprawling green campus and came to a stop. An impressive building with a flower garden loomed before them. A group of curious students in blue-and-gold uniforms waited outside the limo, waving welcome flags. A marching band started to play with great gusto.

The driver opened the limo door with Carlos tumbling out first. The young teen had been leaning up against the door when it abruptly opened on him, making him fall flat on his back.

Jay stepped over Carlos, laughing at his friend's misery. Evie came out of the vehicle next, ignoring Carlos as he quickly climbed to his feet to regain some of his pride. The Isle princess stared up at the castle in awe, wishing that is would be hers.

Mal emerged next, the students gasping at the sight of her. The band dribbled to a wheezing stop as the students backed away from her. Mal sighed in exasperation. Five seconds of being in Auradon and everyone already knew who she was. What a sour way to start off her evil scheme . . .

The band parted as a smiling woman stepped through with her arms outstretched as if she were about to hug someone. She had brown hair pulled back in a loose bun, pearl earrings, and a lavender dress with a pink bow at the neck.

Trailing behind her were two students, most likely a couple since the young woman had her arm wrapped around the young man's. The pretty young woman has caramel-colored skin and chocolate-brown hair and wore a blue sweater, a pink dress, and a gleaming gold necklace. The _handsome_ young man with brown hair wore a navy suit jacket that sported the Auradon Prep crest, a hankie in the breast pocket, and a pastel plaid tie.

Mal noticed the trio and alerted her friends. "Guys, guys, guys," Mal muttered from the side of her mouth. "_We have an audience_." She put on a fake smile and struck a fetching pose with Evie following her example. Jay crossed his arms over his chest as Carlos stood between Evie and Mal, cautiously looking around for any signs of those vicious dogs he heard so much about.

"Welcome to Auradon." The woman greeted as her smile grew. "I'm Fairy Godmother. Headmistress of Auradon Prep."

Although she already knew that, Mal still feigned her surprise while her friends' were genuine. "_The_ Fairy Godmother?" She wondered as she pretended to wave a wand for emphasis. "As in 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo'?"

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-you-know-it!" Fairy Godmother agreed.

Mal gave her a forced good-girl smile. "Yeah, I always wondered what if felt like for Cinderella when you just . . . appeared out of nowhere! With that sparkling wand that made all her dreams come true." She flashed another big cheesy smile.

"That was a long time ago," Fairy Godmother insisted. "And as I always say, don't focus on the past or you'll miss the future!"

Mal bit back a smart-ass retort. She has learned so much to know that the past could potentially appear in the future. However, with how the students had reacted to her, Mal decided it was better not to say anything to keep them hating her anymore.

The young man stepped forward as he clasped his hands. "It's so good to finally meet you all," he greeted with a kind, non-judging smile. "I'm Ben—."

"_Prince_," the young woman corrected while interrupting him, "Benjamin." She squealed in delight, "Soon to be king!"

Ben adverted his gaze to the ground as his smile faltered to something smaller. So, he isn't prideful when it comes to his royal status. Interesting . . .

With a light gasp, Evie strode forward with a dazzling smile. "You had me at 'prince'."

Ben raised his gaze as the teenage girl gave Evie a once-over with a slight snarl of her nose.

"My mom's a queen," Evie informed them with a graceful smile, "which makes me a princess." She began to bow to show how regal she truly was.

"The Evil Queen has no royal status here." The teenage girl denied giving her a 'sorry' smile. "And neither do you."

Mal rolled her eyes at the claim. "Actually," she intervened, "while the worlds were separated, the royal status of any monarch stayed with them if or when they traveled to a different world. When His Majesty journeyed the worlds, many referred to him as 'King', despite being from a _completely _different world that had talking animals as its citizens. Since a majority of the worlds have come together to form this world, that unspoken rule still applies, meaning Evil Queen _does_ have a royal status here and Evie _is_ a princess while in Auradon."

Most of the remaining students gaped at Mal, including the teenage girl that stated the claim. Ben gave her an impressed smile while Fairy Godmother was astonished.

Mal rolled her eyes once again. "Professor Yen Sid taught us," she motioned to herself, Jay, and Carlos, "that the day before Evie transferred to our school. You can ask him yourself if you don't believe me."

Fairy Godmother snapped out of her trance first. "I believe you," she insisted. "_And_ you are absolutely correct. I never thought of it that way before."

The students whispered among one another, gossiping about how _impossible_ it was for anyone to know more than Fairy Godmother. Mal gave Evie an inconspicuous wink while the Isle princess smirked victoriously at the young woman's fuming.

"Anyways," Ben began to break the tense atmosphere, "this is Audrey . . ."

"_Princess_ Audrey," Audrey corrected with a sugar-sweet smile as she took Ben's hand. "His _girlfriend._" She adverted her attention to him. "Right, Bennyboo?"

Ben merely laughed as he looked away again.

"Ben and Audrey are going to show you all around," Fairy Godmother insisted as her 'goody-goody' smile returned, "and I will see you all tomorrow." She threw her hands up dramatically, exclaiming, " 'The doors of wisdom _are never shut_!' However, the library hours are from eight to eleven, and as you may have heard, I have a little thing about curfews." She smiled again before walking toward the school building with the marching band following and the remaining students dispersing to their usual activities.

Ben smiled as he approached Mal and her friends, who stared unimpressed at him. He stepped in front of Jay first. "It is so, so, _so_ good to finally—_"_ Jay punched Ben's shoulder playfully. "_Meet_ you," Ben grunted, Jay smiling that it actually hurt the prince.

Ben moved over to Mal, who reluctantly held out her hand for him to shake. The moment they touched hands, a certain spark resonated through the both of them. When Mal gazed into Ben's eyes, she gasped inaudibly. She saw something, pass the light inside him. Was that . . . ?

"This is a momentous occasion," Ben continued, breaking the gaze as abruptly as he dropped Mal's hand.

He proceeded to Carlos, shaking hands with him. "And one I hope will go down in history." Ben paused for a moment to taste the residue that transferred to him. "Chocolate?"

Carlos merely licked the rest of the candy off his fingers as an answer.

Ben progressed to Evie, who swooned at the sight of him. "As the day our two peoples began to heal," he finished. Evie must have held his hand for too long, since Audrey tugged Ben away.

Mal imitated Ben's tone as she announced, "Or the day that you showed four people where the bathrooms are."

Ben chuckled as he sauntered to Mal with Audrey close at his side. A smile emerged on his face as he asked, "A little bit over the top?"

"A little more than a little bit," Mal insisted with a small smile.

"Well," he began as his smile grew, "so much for my first impression." The two of them shared a small laugh, while Audrey looked back and forth from them. Mal held Ben's gaze once again to try to find the same . . . _thing_ as before.

"Hey!" Audrey exclaimed, forcing Mal to break the gaze. "You're Maleficent's daughter, aren't you?" Mal raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the Auradon princess claimed, "I totally don't blame you for your mother trying to kill my parents and stuff."

Mal's eyes widened in surprise, going through a list of names in her head on who the parents could be.

"Oh," Audrey began before explaining, "my mom's Aurora. Sleeping—"

"Beauty!" Mal finished with a light gasp. "Yeah, I've heard the name," she commented. "In case you don't know, my mother was the villain to more than one hero or princess." She shrugged carelessly. "But still, I totally do not blame your grandparents for inviting everyone in their whole world, but my mother to their stupid christening, especially since she had done nothing wrong at the time."

Audrey blasted a fake smile. "Water under the bridge."

"Totes!" Mal agreed, putting on an even bigger fake smile.

Both girls fake laughed and let the laughter fizzle out in unison, their smiles fading to frowns.

Ben clapped his hands together with Audrey smiling once again. "Okay! So how about a tour?" He suggested as he tried to get back on track. He headed toward the garden as Audrey entwined their arms together, sharing facts about the school and its history as the four newbies slowly behind them.

Soon, the teens were looking up into the face of a fearsome statue that resembled Ben's father in his kingly human form. Ben clapped, causing the statue to change into Beast form, growling as it came to life. Carlos screamed as he jumped into Jay's arms for safety.

"Carlos, it's okay," Ben reassured with a kind smile. "My father wanted his statue to morph from beast to man." He hesitated for a moment to specifically watch Mal. "To remind us that anything is possible."

Mal observed the statue curiously, wondering out loud, "Does he shed much?"

"Yeah," Ben answered with a serious expression. "Mom won't let him on the couch."

They exchanged looks. Mal gave a wry smile at the joke, while Ben harmlessly smiled back, being pulled away once again by his slightly jealous girlfriend.

Jay basically dropped Carlos with a shake of his head. Carlos stayed behind for a moment and clapped to get the statue to come alive again. Nothing happened. He raced ahead to catch up with the group.

Inside the extravagant building, there was a fireplace, dark wood staircases, chandeliers, and stained glass windows that made the place feel warm and sunny.

"So, you guys have a lot of magic here in Auradon?" Mal interrogated as she ignored Carlos stopping Jay from stealing a vase. "Like wands and things like that?"

"Yes, it exists, of course, but it's pretty much retired," Ben answered with a careless shrug. "Most of us here are ordinary mortals."

"Who happen to be kings and queens from different worlds," Mal added nonchalantly.

"That's true!" Audrey exclaimed snootily, draping Ben's arm over her shoulder with her next statement. "Our royal blood goes back hundreds of years." She smiled at Ben possessively, acting more protective by the minute.

Ben noticed a boy in a band outfit carrying a clipboard on the upper floor. "Doug!" Ben shouted as he walked forward, removing his arm off Audrey, who smiled sheepishly at Mal. "Doug, come down."

Doug quickly walked down the stairs and stood next to the prince. "This is Doug," Ben announced as he placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "He's going to help you with your class schedules and show you the rest of the dorms."

He focused all of his attention to Mal. "I'll see you later, okay?" She nodded lightly without thinking. "And if you need anything at all, feel free to—"

"_Ask Doug_," Audrey blurted out. She and Mal shared another feign laugh that fizzled out just as awkwardly as before. Once it did, she dragged Ben away before he could say more.

"Hi guys. I'm Dopey's son," the band member began before he started to list off on his fingers, "as in Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, and-" He abruptly stopped when he finally looked at Evie, who gave him her famous smile. "Heigh-ho. . ."

"Evie," she introduced as she strutted to him, her smile not once faltering. "Evil Queen's daughter."

Doug shook himself out of his daze. "Okay. So, about your classes, I, uh, put in the requirements already—History of Woodsmen and Pirates, Safety Rules of the Internet, and, uh," he cleared his throat to get rid of his nervousness, "Remedial Goodness 101."

"Let me guess . . ." Mal trailed off as she popped a piece of candy into her mouth. "New class?"

Doug nodded sheepishly.

"Come on, guys." Mal dropped the wrapper on the floor with a smirk. "Let's go find our dorms." She started up a flight of stairs with Carlos, Jay, and Evie following.

"Oh! Uh, yeah, your dorms are that way, guys." Doug pointed in the opposite direction.

As Mal and her friends came back down the stairs and headed in the direction he indicated, Doug hung back, counting through the dwarves again. "Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, and . . ."

"Sneezy," Carlos finished, passing him and ascending the opposite staircase.

Doug sighed and looked at the ceiling.

* * *

Upstairs, Mal and Evie opened the door to their dorm room. It was light and airy and dappled in sunlight. The white canopy beds were covered with pink pillows, and flowery curtains fluttered gently in the fresh breeze from the open windows.

Evie's eyes widened with delight as Mal's narrowed in horror.

"Wow," Evie complimented. "This place is so amazing—"

"Gross," Mal insulted with a snarl of her nose.

"I know, right?" Evie said, changing her tone completely. "Amazingly _gross._ Ew!" When Mal wasn't looking, Evie couldn't help giving a silent gasp of joy at her new crib.

"I am going to need some serious sunscreen," Mal assumed, arms crossed in disdain.

"Yeah," Evie agreed as she adverted her attention to the floor.

"E." Mal pointed to the windows. She closed the curtains as Evie moved to other windows in the room and did the same, plunging the dorm into darkness.

"Whew!" Mal exclaimed. "That is much better."

Mal sat at the edge of her new bed, announcing, "I'm going to get some rest before we head to the boys' room."

Evie noticed something was off with the fairy and stepped toward her in concern. "Are you alright?" She wondered as she moved slightly closer. "You look paler than usual."

"I'm fine," Mal promised as she kicked off her shoes and tossed her jacket aside to get more comfortable. "There's just a lot of light here. I'll get used to it."

Mal laid on her bed, having her back facing Evie so the princess couldn't see her look of worry.

It wasn't the light she was worried about—

It was the obscure darkness that she could sense, yet not see.


	4. Descendants: Chapter 4

**Here is the next chapter!**

**As you may have seen from my profile, I am going to attempt to update this story twice a week now, to catch up with the whole plot line before Descendants 3 comes out. This way, you won't have to wait too long for the idea. **

**HOWEVER: There will be a week break when I get to the end of each 'arc'. For example when I am finished with the plot of the first Descendants movie, there will be no update for a week before I post a chapter from the second book.**

**I will let you know if I am unable to keep up and have to change back to once a week.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

After a few hours of rest, Mal and Evie set out in the evening for Jay and Carlos's room to plot the wand heist.

With its wide-screen TV and wood-paneled walls, dark plaid curtains, and high ceiling, Jay and Carlos's room was sumptuous blend of old money and state-of-the-art technology, which typified Auradon. Carlos faced the wide-screen TV, playing a fun simulation video game with nunchakus. Evie sat on the abandoned bed to check her appearance in her mirror while Mal walked over to Jay, who was pulling a stolen cell phone for a hidden compartment in his vest.

"Jay," Mal greeted as she stood next to him. "What are you doing?"

"It's called stealing," Jay answered sarcastically, tossing the phone onto his bed to join the assortment of other items he had stolen from the school already, which included a few gold rings, tokens, coin purses, a watch, and much more.

"What's the point?" Mal wondered as she examined the stolen goods.

"Well, it's like buying whatever I want," Jay explained as he pulled a laptop from his vest, "except it's free."

"Okay. So, you could do that, _or_ you can leave all of this here and pick it up _when we take over the world_," Mal chastised with a wide smile.

Evie looked up from her mirror, announcing with an evil smile of her own, "You sound just like your mom!"

Mal placed a hand over her heart at the compliment. "Thank you!"

Jay rolled his eyes as he tossed the laptop aside. "You do it your way and I'll do it mine."

"Die, suckers!" Carlos shouted at his virtual foes in the video game. He paused the entertainment to call over his friend. "Jay, come check this thing out!"

Curious about the peculiar item, Jay cautiously took the controllers and stepped in front of the TV. His biceps bulged as he abruptly swung the toy weapon. Carlos watched him, laughing and whooping as Jay fought off the animated attackers.

"Guys!" Mal shouted over the loud noise to get their attention. "Do I have to remind you what we're all here for?"

"Fairy Godmother, blah, blah, blah," Jay said as he swung. "Magic wand," he turned to her with a smirk, "blah, blah, blah."

Evie laughed at him while Carlos continued to cheer Jay on.

"This is our _one_ chance!" Mal declared louder than before. "To_ prove_ ourselves to our parents!"

Evie's laughter dwindled down to nothing. Carlos stopped his hollering. Jay paused the video game. Mal had their full attention.

"To prove that we are evil and vicious and ruthless and cruel," Mal continued. "To _show_ that we have just as much darkness as them. That we are _better_ than them." She raised her eyebrows to show her seriousness. "Yeah?"

Her friends nodded solemnly. The three knew their parents wouldn't do anything too harsh to them. But as for Mal's mother . . .

"Evie," Mal called, snapping her fingers to get the princess's attention, "mirror me."

Mal and Evie sat at the table as Jay and Carlos gathered around them.

Evie lifted her mirror so everyone could see. "Mirror, mirror, on the—"

"Stop." Mal rolled her eyes in annoyance. "The chant starts with 'Magic Mirror', not 'Mirror, Mirror', and it's not on the wall. Say 'Magic Mirror in my hand, where does Fairy Godmother's wand stand'."

With a slight huff, Evie reluctantly repeated the phrase. A few moments later, the mirror showed an extreme close-up of the powerful, sparkling wand.

"There it is!" Evie announced with a victorious smile, pleased that the enchanted item actually worked. "Magic Mirror, not so close."

After another moment or two, the mirror changed the image to show an aerial view of the world.

"Closer," Evie ordered.

The mirror eventually showed the kingdom they were currently in.

"Closer," she instructed again.

The mirror showed the town, slowly coming nearer to the location they needed.

"Closer," she said once more.

"Can I go back to my game?" Carlos wondered as he already started backing away. "I'm on level three."

"Stop!" Jay shouted.

They peered at the mirror together, which showed an old building lit by blue lights, with an engraved sign in from of it that read MUSEUM OF CULTURAL HISTORY.

"It's in a museum," Mal deduced. "Do we know where that is?"

Carlos typed something on the laptop. "Two point three miles from here," he said, turning it so his friends could see while he went to playing his video game.

Mal opened the door to the bedroom and checked the hall. The coast was clear.

Jay and Evie followed her down the hall. Jay called Carlos's name over his shoulder. Carlos reluctantly stopped playing his game and ran out the door after his friends.

* * *

The lawns of the prep school were void of any kind of guiding light as the gang made its way to the museum. After walking for some time, they eventually approached an impressive building marked MUSEUM OF CULTURAL HISTORY. It had tall, imposing stone pillars that completely towered over them.

"Check your mirror," Mal whispered to Evie.

"Is my mascara smudged?" Evie asked worriedly, instinctively checking her eyes in the mirror before she received an answer.

"Yeah, and while you're at it, why don't you see if you can find us _the wand_," Mal chided.

"Sure." Evie held out her mirror. "This way!"

They followed Evie around the back of the building, where they stopped at a set of double doors to peer through the windows. A guard sat at the front desk, spinning in a chair to watch the several monitors in front of him. On the monitors were iconic artifacts from all the famous fairy tales: King Beast's mystical rose, Cinderella's glass slipper, the Genie of Agrabah's lamp, King Triton's trident, etc.

The guard spun to face the doors, forcing the villain children to take cover. When some time had passed, they peeked back through the windows, studying a small spinning wheel on a pedestal that was a showcased display—Maleficent's spinning wheel.

"_That's_ your mother's spinning wheel?" Jay wondered rhetorically with a small chuckle.

Carlos laughed as well. "Yeah, it's kind of dorky."

"It's magic," Mal argued defensively. "It doesn't have to _look_ scary." Mal flipped open her spell book to fine a particular page. Looking through the window at the guard, and began to incant: "_Magic spindle, do not linger. Make my victim prick a finger. . . ."_

Nothing happened to the guard as he turned to look at the spinning wheel.

"Impressive," Jay taunted, shaking his head.

"I got chills," Carlos mocked, him and Jay chuckling once again.

Mal rolled her eyes at the childish jabs. She concentrated again, her eyes flashing bright green. "_Prick the finger, prick it deep. Send my enemy off to sleep,"_ she chanted.

The guard slowly stood and began walking toward the spinning wheel as if he was in a trance. He reached out his finger and gently touched the spindle. Within a few seconds, the guard laid next to the spinning wheel, curling up on his side to fall right asleep.

Mal let out a laugh as she smiled smugly at the boys. "Not so dorky now, huh?" She tried to open the door, but of course, it had to be locked. She yanked a few times, hoping the door would cave on its own.

Jay pushed everyone aside. "Stand back," he instructed as he backed up to take a leaping kick at the door.

Mal stared at the door and recited, "_Make it easy, make it quick, open up without a kick_."

Jay ran at full speed and leaped to kick the door—just as it opened by itself. He landed on his butt inside the museum. Mal, Evie, and Carlos laughed and stepped over him.

"Coming?" Mal asked Jay, mocking him this time.

The gang passed the lobby and ran through the dark museum with Evie leading the way as she consulted her mirror. "Upstairs," she whispered to them.

They ran down a hall and up some stairs, stopping short in a doorway to a room called the Gallery of Keyblade Warriors. Inside were a few pedestals that stood wax figures of the Keyblade wielders that foiled the villains plan. Three of the wielders had versions of themselves from each of their three main journeys. However, the 'main' wielder also had versions of himself from each world he traveled to that changed his appearance. Each figurine had a model of their Keyblade, five of them having more than one. Against the walls were relics, _artifacts_, from their journeys.

Mal wanted to pretend she never looked in the room. However, her friends just _had_ to walk around to observe the marvelous attractions.

"Careful!" Mal chided in a harsh whisper when Jay came too close to a closed book with a gold latch on it, which on a podium with a soft light shining on it. "If you open that book, you'll get sucked into another world with talking stuffed animals that will annoy the hell out of you."

"Hey, Mal!" Carlos shouted as he gestured to a star-shaped crystal he was standing in front of. "What's this thing?"

Mal sighed in annoyance, but quickly explained, "That's a Star Shard. It teleports its user, as well as anyone in physical contact with the user, to a different world. If the user doesn't know how to control the shard, the traveler will never know where he or she will land or when he or she will be transported away."

"M?" Evie called as she snarled her nose at one of the figurines. "Why is his facial expression like this?"

Observing a figure of the 'main' wielder of when he was turned into a monster to blend into a world, Mal somehow suppressed her laugh. "_That_," Mal began with a smile, "is the 'Funny Face Special'. In the world that makes him look like that, he and his companions used that to make a little girl laugh to power certain parts of a factory."

After explaining a few more things from the gallery, Mal headed to the entrance to wait for her friends, until she caught sight of something that made her jaw drop. "No way," Mal commented to herself, shaking her head in denial as she came closer to a particular 'exhibit'. "It's actually here. It's actually _real_!"

Resting in a protective and secure glass display next to its 'rightful' owner was a beautiful Keyblade that Mal's mother described to her on more than one occasion, Way to the Dawn. Maleficent explained that the Keyblade was an upgraded version of another one called 'Soul Eater'. Way to the Dawn's guard was once composed of one demonic wing and one angelic wing. A dark angelic wing had been 'added' to the original blade of the Soul Eater to act as the teeth of the key. Its token is the Heartless Emblem, but without the spiked bars crossing it.

Sadly, the Way to the Dawn was still in its shattered form, with the break being close to the bottom of the blade. You see, after a vicious battle in the Realm of Darkness—where a Heartless swarm called the 'Demon Tower' had swallowed its owner—the Way to Dawn had been fragmented.

The owner left the Keyblade on the shore of the 'End of Sea', but the Auradonians somehow recovered it! No, Mal was not mistaken. She could practically feel the Keyblade radiating its life from just standing a couple feet in front of it.

"Well, the wand's not here," Jay announced after he finally got bored of the area. "Let's bounce!"

Evie and Carlos followed him back into the hall, having finished looking around too. However, Mal lingered in the gallery. She couldn't take her eyes off the broken Keyblade. Oh, how she _wished_ it could be hers. She wanted nothing more than to steal the Way to the Dawn from its prison, but there's no way to fix a broken Keyblade . . .

"Hey!" Evie shouted with a smile as she popped back into the entrance.

Mal whipped around to face her.

"I found the wand!" Evie proclaimed victoriously. "Let's go!"

Mal stole one more backward glance at the Way to the Dawn in its presentation. With a regretful and reluctant sigh, she ran after Evie to join their gang of misfits. They looked through an opening in the floor at the powerful wand floating in a display.

The gang raced downstairs, past a room called the Hall of Castles, with Jay whooping and cheering the whole time, leading the way.

In the wand gallery, they approached its sole exhibit—Fairy Godmother's wand. It was lit from above and below with a soft blue light. Mal and her friends stopped at the threshold, taking a moment to admire. Jay sized up the situation, deciding to pounce.

"Jay don't!" Mal advised, eyeing the blue light.

Jay shot her a suave smile as he continued forward.

"Wait, no!" Mal continued to shout as he crawled into the exhibit. "No! No!" Jay reached out his hand . . . "Don't!"

_CRACK! _

Jay was blown back by a giant shock as an alarm started to blare. Mal and her friends held their ears to protect their eardrums from the annoying sound.

"A force field _and_ a siren?" asked Carlos.

"That's just a _little _excessive," Jay stated sarcastically, regaining his stance.

Mal and her friends raced down the corridor. The alarm had woken the guard in the lobby, who ran toward the noise. The group bolted for the exit, unseen, but Carlos stopped at the guard station. As his friends ran past Maleficent's spinning wheel, he assessed the equipment, looking for the alarm shutoff.

The guard's phone rang and Carlos answered it without a second thought. "Hello? Uh, just give me one second, one second." He examined the guard's clipboard before turning the alarm off with a few pushing of buttons. "Uh, yeah, yeah. No, false alarms," he said casually. "It was a malfunction in the LM 714 chip in the breadboard circuit. Yeah. Okay. Say hi to the missus." He hung up to see that the others had left without him. "You're welcome," he grumbled to no one as he ran after his friends.

The four, empty-handed, sprinted through the night away from the museum.

"Way to go Jay!" Mal remarked sarcastically. "Now we have to go to school tomorrow!"


	5. Descendants: Chapter 5

**Here is the next chapter! **

**Of course, a few things have been changed to fit in the Kingdom Hearts plot. I am using an idea that I had, but I may be changing things a little too much, though it doesn't change the overall plot. You'll see what I mean in the next couple chapters.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_It has to be here somewhere," Evie insisted, turning to look behind her._

"_Maybe we should split up," Jay suggested, a glint in his eyes._

"_Think," Mal instructed. "My mother was never without it. She held it even as she sat upon her throne." Mal moved to the spot where the throne no longer stood. "Here."_

"_So where would it be now?" Carlos frowned._

"_It wouldn't be where anyone else could touch it," Evie said. "Try asking my mother if she'll let you touch any of her own Miss Fairest Everything memorabilia._

_Mal flinched at the word _touch.

_The curse was waiting for all of them—or at least, one of them—just as the Dragon's Eye was._

"_But she'd want to see it, of course." Jay pointed out. "From her throne." Mal nodded; they'd all seen Jafar orient himself in his kitchen, directly behind his stack of coins._

"_Which would be—" Mal spun slowly around. She could picture her mother sitting here, clutching the staff, feeling powerful and evil and well, like herself as she reigned over the kingdom._

_She shook her head. Her mother would have no problem cursing any of the people in the room for ten thousand years, let alone one._

"_There. Look!" cried Evie, spotting a tall black staff with a black staff with a dim green globe at its top against the far wall._

_It was, just as they had predicted, exactly in Mal's line of vision from the missing throne, but raised by some sort of magical light a good twelve feet into the air. Far out of the hands of any interlopers—and yes, where it could not be touched._

_Of course._

_There it was._

_The most powerful weapon of all Darkness._

"_It's right here!" Evie was closest to it and reached for it eagerly._

_She shot her hand up into the air, extending her fingers. The moment she did, the Dragon's Eye began to shake, as if something about Mal herself was prying it loose from the very light and air that bound it._

_Evie smiled. "I've got it—"_

_Mal saw Evie's hand curl toward it, almost in slow motion. The scepter itself seemed to glow, as if it were beckoning Evie toward it. Everything around Mal seemed to blur until she could only see Evie's small, delicate fingers and the bewitched Dragon's Eye, just beyond her grasp. In a split second Mal had to make the decision: could she let Evie touch it and be cursed into a deep, death-like sleep for a thousand years?_

_Or would she save her?_

_Stop her?_

_Do something good that would make the light inside her grow?_

_While betraying her own mother's wishes, and giving up on her own dream of becoming something more than a disappointment? Was she content to remain only a 'Mal' her entire life?_

_Never a 'Maleficent'?_

_She froze, unable to decide._

"_No!" Mal finally cried, running toward Evie. "Don't!"_

"Mal?"

Mal flinched when Fairy Godmother called on her, waking her from a daze she didn't realize she was in.

It was the morning after the four's thwarted heist, where Fairy Godmother attempted to teach the four villain children everything there was to know about being good.

The headmistress stood in front of a blackboard that had WELCOME TO REMEDIAL GOODNESS! written on it, along with phrases like MOUTHS ARE FOR SMILING, NOT FOR BITING and SHARING IS CARING. Mal and her friends were, of course, the only kids enrolled in the newly made class.

"Mal?" Fairy Godmother questioned concerningly. "Are you feeling alright? You look awfully pale."

"I'm fine. Just not used to the light here." Mal fibbed again, using the same excuse as before as she adverted her attention to the board. "The answer is C. give it a bottle."

Although she wasn't completely convinced, Fairy Godmother gave Mal a small smile. "Correct, again."

"You are on fire, girl!" Carlos complimented.

Mal rolled her eyes, though she was silently relieved at the change of subject. "Just pick the one that doesn't sound like any fun."

"That makes so much sense." Evie stated as she began to twirl her hair to keep up her ditzy act.

Before they could continue with the next question, a girl in a pale blue dress with a big blue bow on her head entered the class. She cast a frightened look toward Mal and her friends before scurrying toward Fairy Godmother at the front of the classroom.

"Hello, dear one," Fairy Godmother greeted with a kind smile.

"H-hi." The girl held up a clipboard as she kept her eyes on the new students. "You need to sign off on early dismissal for the coronation."

Mal stopped sketching the magic wand to study the young, timid girl.

"Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane," Fairy Godmother introduced as she signed the form.

"Mom!" Jane whispered harshly as she whipped her head toward her mother. "Don't!"

Fairy Godmother returned the clipboard to her daughter. "It's okay," she reassured, turning Jane to face Mal and her friends. "Jane, this is everyone."

Jane gave a feeble wave. "Hi." Jay and Carlos exchanged looks. "That's okay. Don't mind me. As you were," she said, bowing and rushing out of the room with a terrified squeal.

Mal smirked to herself as a new plan slowly started to form in her devious mind.

"Forgive Jane," Fairy Godmother pleaded. "I may have told her a few too many bedtime stories about your . . . parents." She cleared her throat. "Let's continue." She went back to the blackboard. "You find a vial of poison. Do you: A. put it in the king's wine, B. paint it on an apple, or C. turn it over to the proper authorities?"

Three hands shot up. Carlos and Jay fought to be picked. Jay forced Carlos's hand down as he kept his hand raised confidently.

"Jay," Fairy Godmother called.

"C." Jay answered coolly as he pushed Carlos aside. "You turn it over to the proper authorities."

"I was going to say that. . ." Carlos complained.

Jay laughed mockingly. "But I said it first!" he teased. He grabbed Carlos's head and put him in a headlock. "Who said it first?"

In a matter of seconds, the two boys were wrestling on top of their desk. Evie ignored them as she fixed her lip gloss in her mirror. Mal merely sighed in annoyance, not doing anything to stop them.

"Boys," Fairy Godmother chided to get their attention. When that didn't work, she shouted louder: "Boys!"

They froze.

"I am going to encourage you to use that energy on the Tourney field," she stated as she gestured outside.

"Oh, no, that's okay." Carlos insisted as he shoved Jay away, Jay making a move to attack again. "Whatever that is we'll pass."

* * *

But before he and Jay knew it, they were on the grassy green tourney field just outside the school. It resembled a lacrosse field but had two cannons at the fifty-yard line that shot a constant barrage of balls across the width of it. A big sign that read GO FIGHTING KNIGHTS! overlooked it. Jay and Carlos were barely recognizable in their tourney helmets, bucklers, and multitude of pads.

The coach blew a whistle to get the players attention.

"Jay, Ben, offense," the referee instructed them. "Chad, you're defense!"

A handsome boy named Chad strolled across the field.

"Hey! Hey! You!" The coach yelled at Carlos, who was wondering aimlessly on the arena. "Put your helmet on! Get out of the kill zone!"

The coach blew the whistle again, and the play began. Jay was off like a shot. He ran right over Carlos, who thudded to the ground. Jay slammed his buckler into Chad, who had the ball. The ball flew free and Jay scooped it up. He charged down the field into the kill zone, roaring ferociously and dodging the flying balls expertly.

Carlos, meanwhile, was trying to crawl under the barrage of balls. Ben came to his rescue, batting the balls away as he pulled Carlos to his feet.

Jay slammed the ball right into the net. The cheerleaders whooped—all except Audrey. Jay threw off his helmet and did a victory dance. Then he realized he was dancing alone. The field, he noticed, was littered with lots of penalty flags and battered, beaten, groaning players in both yellow and blue uniforms.

Coach blew his whistle. "You! Get over here!"

Jay trotted over to the coach, who stood among the downed players, Carlos included. Ben was hanging over his knees panting.

"What do you call that?" yelled the coach.

Chad looked on smugly, waiting for the villain kid to get in trouble.

The coach's face broke into a smile. "I call that raw talent. Come fine me later; I'll show you something you haven't seen before. It's called a rule book." He chuckled and patted Jay on the shoulder. "Welcome to the team, son!" He looked at Carlos and sighed. "You ever thought about band?"

Carlos tittered weakly and Jay laughed.

"I'll work with him, Coach," Ben promised as he hid a hand behind his back. "He'll get better. You'll see."

"Alright," the coach relented. "Let's run that again! This time Jay, try not to use your darkness. The referees will pull you out of the game."

Jay didn't bother hiding his surprise at the statement. "But I didn't use any," he argued somewhat defensively. "I don't even know how."

"None of our parents taught us," Carlos added. "Us kids tried many times to convince them, but our parents claimed they didn't want to stir the few Heartless that were on the island."

The coach shook his head. "I must have been imagining it," he muttered to himself before he shouted to the players, "Let's go!"

He blew his whistle, signaling the players to resume their positions on the field.

Jay grinned and spun around to find Chad glaring at him with his chin and nose stuck up in a rude, snobby way. Jay squinted at Chad and walked past him, bumping him hard. Once Jay had passed by, Chad rubbed his arm.

Meanwhile, none of them noticed that Ben sneaked away to regain control of something he lost hold of.

* * *

Later in the school day, Mal and Evie parted ways to their separate classes at Mal's locker, which had a heart with two dragons inside—one green and the other purple—spray-painted on it. It was a little something Mal did to make herself feel more at home; something to remind her who she is.

While Mal dug around her locker, she heard loud, obnoxious laughter. She peered behind her locker door to see Audrey and Chad, Ben's girlfriend and best friend. Audrey wore pink sunglasses and a pale pink sweater, while Chad wore his letter jacket. Ben slowly appeared behind them in a modest smart-looking jacket.

Their laughter died down when they caught sight of Mal. Chad tapped Ben on the arm before he pointed at Mal. "Those kids are trouble," he informed, referring to Mal and her friends in general.

Audrey nodded in agreement, shooting Mal a malicious glare. Mal simply rolled her eyes as she turned away, trying her best to ignore them.

"Come on, Chad," Ben chided with a kind smile. "Give them a chance."

"Ugh!" Audrey snarled her nose for a brief second before she took Ben's hands in hers. "No offense, Bennybear—you're just too trusting."

Ben tried laughing the comment off, but Audrey held firm. "Look, I know your mom fell in love with a big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. But with _my_ mom's, the evil fairy was just the evil fairy." She paused for a moment to gaze at Mal. "That girl's mother," she whispered, "who tried to take over all the worlds!"

Ben shrugged nonchalantly. "I think you're wrong about Mal," he announced confidently. Ben let go of Audrey's hand and nodded at Chad. "I'll see you later."

Audrey sighed, walking in the opposite direction of her boyfriend. Chad, however, was dumbstruck about the whole situation, but eventually trailed after Audrey.

Ben approached Mal as she shut her locker. "Hey!" he greeted with a coy smile.

"Hey," she acknowledged, squinting at him suspiciously.

"How's your first day?" Ben wondered innocently.

"Super," she answered sarcastically. "My history teacher already hates me because I corrected her throughout the lesson."

Surprisingly, Ben chuckled at the response. "Don't take it too personally," he advised. "I did the same thing a couple weeks ago. I was able to test out of the class and transfer to a different one. I can talk with her and Fairy Godmother about setting up an exam for you. This way you won't be bored out of your mind like I was."

Mal gave him a genuine smile. "I would really appreciate that. Thank you."

Ben's smile merely grew as he changed his attention to her locker decoration. "So, you have an admiration for Kingdom Hearts?"

Mal's eyes widened in surprise. "You know what this is?" She interrogated rhetorically. "But just a few minutes ago in the history class—"

"The teacher and all the students believe it's just those white double doors," Ben finished with a disgruntle sigh. "_That_ is what I corrected her on. I only know the truth because I did some research when I was younger. My father used to tell me the stories all the time when I was younger and I wanted to know more."

"You're lucky," Mal insisted as she leaned against the lockers. "My mother summarized the legends. She only went into detail when she described the Way to the Dawn. I had to ask Professor Yen Sid for explanations. Everything I know about the legends is because of him."

Ben chuckled. "I think you're the lucky one," he claimed. "You got a master to explain everything to you. I only had my father and mother—"

"Who experienced it firsthand," Mal pointed out before she smirked. "I heard your mother has one hell of an elbow, strong enough to knock the wind out of an Organization member."

"That's why I never try to anger her," Ben joked. He gestured to the locker again. "What's the story behind your masterpiece?"

"As you know, my mother failed to gain Kingdom Hearts," Mal began, finding it easy to speak to the prince. "_Everyone_ in this world knows that. Growing up, my mother would tell me I needed to do more. Since she couldn't make it hers, I decided to make Kingdom Hearts mine to spite her." She motioned to her artwork. "When the people on the Isle see this, they think of _me_; _not_ my mother and her foiled attempts to take over the worlds."

"And the two dragons inside?" Ben questioned curiously. "Does that represent you and your mother?"

"No," Mal denied way too easily. "Let's just say, there's two sides to every person."

Ben decided not to interrogate her about her response, considering he pressed his luck already. "Well, you should take your brilliant talent off the locker and into an art class," he suggested. "I could sign you up to replace your history class." He smiled far too charmingly for it to be taken as just a friendly smile. "What do you think?"

Mal hesitated as she spied Jane passing by them. Adverting her attention back to Ben, she chided, "Way to take all the fun out of it."

She shot Ben a flirty smile, something she would chide herself for doing later. Spinning around with her spell book under her arm, Mal followed Jane into the restroom. She remembered the real reason why she was in Auradon in the first place: Fairy Godmother's magic wand.

What better way to get close to it than through her daughter, Jane?


	6. Descendants: Chapter 6

**Here is the next chapter of the story! **

**I've been attempting to make chapters longer so I won't have to update as much and to quicken the progress of updates. Like in another one of my stories, I wanted to leave out certain events, but they are too important to the movie story line. I did add one event to replace another that I took out.**

**With that said, I am adding the next chapter today because it is incredibly short and you _won't_ get one on Friday. There was something that I needed to add that wouldn't fit with other portions of the story.**

**Things will get a little more . . . interesting closer to the end of the chapter and the next won't continue where you think it will.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Jane stood alone in the restroom as she scrutinized her short, straight brown bob in the mirror. In the midst of her moping, she noticed she wasn't alone anymore. Eyes going wide, Jane spun around to face Mal, the daughter of the infamous Maleficent.

"Hi!" Mal greeted ever so sweetly. "It's Jane, right? Always loved that name. Jane." She laughed so merrily that it could be genuine.

"That's cool," Jane commented calmly, despite internally freaking out. Jane broke her stare, making an immediate beeline for the exit.

Mal obstructed her path, holding her arm out to block her. "Don't go!" She shouted.

Jane froze. What do you expect? Mal was the daughter of a well-known villain! Who knows what she can do. . .

"I guess . . ." Mal trailed off as she feigned vulnerability in her tone. "I was hoping to make a friend. You probably have all the friends you need though, huh?"

"Hardly," Jane remarked timidly.

Mal seemed surprised, but Jane didn't realize she had been forcing it. "Really? I mean . . ." She started walking toward Jane. Jane instinctively stepped backwards, bumping into the restroom sink. "With your mom being Fairy Godmother and headmistress? I mean, not to mention your own, um. . ." Mal examined Jane up and down to try to come up with something. "Personality!" She determined, giggling kindly.

"I'd rather be pretty," Jane admitted as her bashfulness started to fade away. "You've got great hair!"

Mal stroked her purple locks in thought. "You know what? I have just the thing for that." She dramatically revealed her spell book. Jane gazed at the book in confusion while Mal harmlessly flipped through the pages. In the stories that her mother told her, Maleficent _never_ had a spell book, so why would her daughter have one?

"It's right . . . here!" Mal halted on a certain page and read a line. "_Beware, forswear, replace the old with brand-new hair._"

With a few waves of Mal's finger, Jane suddenly had long, beautiful wavy brown locks with a new hair accessory that made her look even more glamorous. Jane gasped in delight as she studied her new do in the mirror. It was _exactly_ what she wanted and everything she wished for!

"Wow!" Mal exclaimed in mock surprise. "You almost don't notice your . . ." She stumbled for a moment. ". . . other features anymore!"

Jane turned to face Mal with a huge, giddy smile on her face. She tapped the closed spell book eagerly. "Do my nose!" She requested energetically.

"Oh, I can't." Mal denied with a small sympathetic pout. "I wish I could. I've been practicing. I can't do"—she gestured to Jane's face—"_big_ magic. Not like your _mom_! With her _wand_!" Mal smiled to not come off as too pushy. "I mean, one _swoosh_ from that thing and you could probably have whatever features you wanted."

Jane frowned in disappointment as she complained, "She doesn't use the wand anymore. She believes the _real_ magic is in books." She shook her head in disagreement. "And not the spell books. Regular books with history and stuff."

Mal laughed, though Jane would later realize it was a scoff. "What a rip," Mal muttered. She pondered on something. "You know, she used magic on Cinderella, who wasn't her real daughter, _and_ that Keyblade Master that didn't even need it!" Mal tilted her head slightly as she wondered softly, "Doesn't she love you?"

"Of course, she does." Jane argued defensively. "It's just, you know, tough love. Work on the inside, not the outside. You know, that sort of thing . . ." She trailed off, looking somewhat depressed. Lately, her mother has been focused on serving the King and Queen of Auradon and preparing for the future king's coronation. Her mother _never_ has time for her. . .

"That's the face!" Mal shouted, snapping Jane out of her daze. "Yeah! And then just look as if your heart is about to break." She pouted her lips and altered her voice to sound more like the younger teen. "_Oh, Mother, I just don't understand why you can't make me beautiful, too_." Her face broke into a triumphant grin.

"Think it would work?" Jane wondered blinking and smiling.

"Yeah!" Mal insisted with a cheerful giggle. "I mean, that's what old Cindy did. And your mother Bibbidi-Bobbidi-ed the living daylights out of _her_!"

Jane laughed, not noticing Mal's eyes had changed to a brighter and lighter shade of green.

"And, hey!" Mal jumped on the counter, crossing her legs as she sat. "If your mom does decide to break out the old wand . . ." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Invite me! I think it would be so . . . inspirational, in helping me change my villain ways."

Jane smiled joyfully, convinced that it could be a way to repay Mal for her 'kindness'. "If I can convince Mom, you're so there!"

"Yay!" Mal cheered, clapping dramatically.

Jane placed her purse on her shoulder, waving good-bye to Mal as she walked out of the restroom with a little more confidence, thanks to her new hairstyle.

Now alone, Mal's smile faded to a look of worry. Gazing down, Mal forcefully tugged her glove further on her hand to keep her light subdued.

* * *

Meanwhile in Evie's chemistry class, she sat next to the hardworking Doug while staring longingly at the lazy Chad.

Across the lab bench, beyond the tubing, clamps pipettes, and steaming beakers, Chad was somehow bathed in his own golden light when he didn't have any in him. Either way, Evie couldn't stop gazing at his handsome features. Chad probably would have noticed his admirer, if he hadn't been too busy trying to cheat off his lab partner.

Their chemistry teacher, Mr. Deley, scribbled a formula needed for an upcoming test on the chalkboard.

"Any chance he's in line for a throne?" Evie quickly asked Doug, nodding toward the handsome teen in front of them. "Anywhere in line?"

Doug glanced up from his worksheet and sighed in aggravation. Why would someone as beautiful as her be interested in someone so narcissistic and discourteous to women?

"Chad. Prince Charming, Jr." Doug answered briskly. When Evie lightly shook her head in unfamiliarity, he clarified, "Cinderella's son?"

Evie gasped lightly, giving Chad another once-over before adverting her attention back to Doug. "Chad inherited the charm, but not a lot of there, there," Doug explained, trying to hint at the prince's lack of any kind of knowledge. "Know what I mean?"

Evie sighed adoringly as she rested her chin in hand. "Looks there, there to me."

"Evie," Mr. Deley called, effectively grabbing her attention away from the prince. "Perhaps this is just review for you. So, tell me, what is the average atomic weight of silver?"

Evie stared at him blankly. "Atomic weight?" She repeated. "Well, it can be much. It's an atom, right?" She smiled and let out a laugh. Chad laughed, too.

Mr. Deley beckoned her forth.

Evie pocketed her mirror and strolled confidently up to the chalkboard. "Let's see." She took the chalk from the teacher, stealthily removing her mirror and speaking down into it. "How do I find the average atomic weight of silver?" She glanced at her mirror, hidden at her side, and it revealed the whole long calculation of the answer, which she copied onto the chalkboard. "That would be 106.905 times .5200 plus 108.905 times .4800, which, Mr. Delay would give us 107.9 amu." She smiled.

Chad, impressed, formed a quick plan as he quickly wrote a message on a piece of paper

Doug looked at Evie curiously. "Amu?" he mouthed to himself, unfamiliar with the term.

Mr. Deley sighed. "I forgot. It's always a mistake to underestimate—"

Evie spun around, whipping the teacher with her long blue-black locks. "A villain?" she finished, smiling. "Don't make it again." She threw him the chalk and flounced back toward her seat.

As she passed Chad, he slipped her a note, obnoxiously ogling her. When Evie sat at her seat, she opened the note. It read MEET ME UNDER THE BLEACHERS AT 3. Gazing at Chad, she nodded eagerly. His rested his head on his hands, and Evie did the same. They locked eyes and shared a dreamy, longing look.

Doug rested his head on his hand, too, and frowned, annoyed that the girl he was falling for fell for someone else.

* * *

During their free period from school, Ben stood on the grassy Tourney field with a stop-watch in hand while Carlos kneeling was a fair distance away,

"Okay, Carlos," Ben began. "We're going to start with some sprints. Ready?"

Suddenly a little dog came out of nowhere when Carlos began the training exercise. The dog, thinking Carlos wanted to play, start barking and running toward Carlos to join in on the fun. Carlos sped past Ben, screaming in terror.

Ben clicked the watch, extremely impressed with the time. When he turned to praise Carlos, he finally noticed Carlos being chased.

Carlos ran deep into the woods, the dog hot on his heels. He hopped partway up a tree to get away. The dog stood at its base, watching him eagerly. "No!" Carlos shouted in fright. "Stop!"

The scruffy rust-colored dog gazed up at him with wide pleading eyes, ready to play again.

"Carlos!" Ben called from afar.

"Ben, help me!" Carlos yelled as Ben appeared in the clearing. "This thing is a killer! He's going to chase me down and rip out my throat! This is a vicious rabid pack animal!"

"Hey!" Ben lifted the little dog in his arms, who licked his face appreciatively. "Who told you that?"

"My mother," Carlos stated, like the answer should have been obvious to the Auradonian.

"Cruella?" Ben clarified in confusion.

"She's a dog expert. A 'dog yellerer,' " Carlos insisted as he held the tree tighter. "She knew where all the Dalmatians were, but couldn't get to them since she couldn't travel to different worlds."

Ben's face broke into a smile, chuckling softly as he scratched the back of the dog's ear.

"Why are you holding him? He's going to attack you!" said Carlos.

"Carlos, you've never actually met a dog, have you?" Ben wondered.

"Of course not," Carlos barked. "There's none on the Isle."

"Carlos, this is Dude." Ben introduced as his smile grew. "He's the campus mutt."

"He doesn't look like a rapid pack animal." Carlos cautiously climbed down from the tree. "Geez, it's kind of like looking into a mirror. I bet you're used to being kicked around, right?" Carlos scratched Dude's head and smiled when Ben handed the animal over.

"You're a good boy," Carlos complimented, laughing and rubbing Dude's belly.

Ben's happy smile slowly faded into a saddened frown. "I guess you guys have it pretty rough on the island," he assumed.

"Yeah," Carlos answered agreeably. "Heartless roam about on the outskirts of town, so we can't travel too far on the Isle. It was pounded in our heads to never leave town. Mal, Evie, Jay, and I did one time and we unluckily encountered one within a few minutes. I don't know how she did it, but Mal managed to tame a Shadow."

Ben's jaw dropped at the announcement. "She did _what?_" He shook his head in denial. "But you said none of your parents taught you how to use your darkness."

"They didn't," Carlos confirmed. "That's why I don't understand how Mal tamed her."

" 'Her'?" Ben repeated incredulously. "You mean the Shadow?"

"Mal swears up and down that the gender is a girl." Carlos hesitated as the realization of what he said dawned on him. "I shouldn't have said anything. . ."

"I won't either." Ben promised meekly. He sighed as he gave Dude one more pet. "Listen, I'm going to give you guys some space. You guys get to know each other and just come find me when you're done okay?"

Once Ben had disappeared down the trail, Carlos sat down on a log with Dude on his lap. He scratched the dog's side causing Dude to lick him playfully on the nose.

"Oh! Thank you." Carlos smiled; glad he made a new friend—

Not knowing he helped Ben confirm a suspicion.

* * *

Once the clock stroke three, Chad had led Evie under the bleachers by the Tourney field, where the cheerleaders practiced a routine for the big game. they stood facing each other.

"Is everybody at home as pretty as you?" Chad wondered as he leaned against a support beam to seem more debonair.

Evie gazed down at her shoes as she tried to act somewhat modest. "I like to think I'm fairest of them all." She batted her eyelashes flirtingly. "How many rooms are in your castle?"

Chad smiled as he arrogantly boasted, "Too many to count!"

Evie leaned into kiss Chad, but she only smooched air when he started speaking. "You really nailed that chemistry problem today." He commented, chuckling when he thought of something. "You're going to have all the nerds in love with you."

"I'm not that smart!" Evie denied defensively. "Really! I'm not!"

She paused to compose herself. This is _not_ how she's supposed to catch a prince "But I'm really good at sewing and cooking and cleaning. You know, like your mother, Cinderella. Without the ratty dress." Evie cautiously her mirror out of her purse. "See this? If I ask it where something is, it tells me."

"Are you kidding me?" Chad snatched it from her hand before she could answer. He spoke into the mirror with a hardened, demanding voice. "Where's my cell phone?" he ordered, bringing it to his ear shortly after.

Evie tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "It won't work for you, silly."

"No biggie." Chad handed it back to her and resumed his charming act. "My dad will just get me a new one."

"Prince Charming," Evie said dreamily.

"Yeah." Chad smiled.

"And Cinderella."

"Yeah."

"Fairy Godmother!" She took Chad's hands in hers. "Hey, I heard her wand is in some boring museum. Do they always leave it there?" She looked deeply into his eyes and leaned forward as if she were about to kiss him.

He started to lean in but stopped. "I'd really like to talk, but"—he turned away dramatically—"I'm just swamped!" His face lit up like he suddenly came up with an idea. "Unless . . ."

Evie perked up with a smile. "Unless?"

"If you could knock all my homework out along with yours, then maybe we could get together sometime and . . . hang." Chad took the huge tan backpack off his shoulder and held it out for her.

"Okay," she agreed breathily, taking it.

"Thanks, babe." He winked at her before walking off.

"Bye," Evie waved dreamily.

Suddenly, Doug's face appeared between the seats of the bleachers. "I couldn't help but overhear—"

"Are you _stalking me_?" Evie asked.

"Technically . . . yes," Doug admitted. "I too have a fascination for Fairy Godmother's wand." He climbed down from the bleachers and stood in front of Evie. "Which is another reason I look forward to the coronation. Perhaps we could stand next to each other and discuss its attributes."

Evie slowly stalked forward until there was only a foot of distance between them. "Are you saying they use it in the coronation?"

"Yes," he claimed, before stating hopefully, "and asking you out."

Evie laughed in his face flirtatiously and walked away, ignoring his request for a date.

Doug, _completely_ enchanted, watched as Evie strutted back to the dorms.

* * *

About an hour later in Mal and Evie's dorm room, Jane and Mal were conversating with one another as Evie sewed a new dress on her machine.

The sun shone into the room and fell across Mal's sketchbook. She was lying on her stomach, shading in a drawing of her favorite Keyblade as Jane clutched the bedpost.

"Mom said, '_If a boy can't see the beauty within, then he's not worth it_,'" Jane mimicked in a singsong tone. "Can you believe it? What world does she live in?" She angrily stomped to the other side of the room.

Mal snickered at the question. "Auradon," she answered. "No longer Castle of Dreams."

"Mal?" Evie held up the dress she had been sewing. "Do you like?"

Mal glanced up for a moment. "Yeah," she agreed as she tried to finish her drawing. "It's cute. Brings out your eyes."

Evie smiled happily at her creation with pride, insisting, "I know." She started to sew again, hoping she could try it on before the day ends.

"I'll never have a boyfriend." Jane complained as she flopped down on Evie's bed in depression.

"_Boyfriends_," Mal paused to lightly blow the eraser shavings off her paper, "are overrated."

"And how would you know, Mal?" Evie wondered as she leaned forward with a mischievous smile. "You've never had one."

"It's because I don't need one, _E_," Mal barked. Rolling her eyes, Mal informed Jane, "They're a waste of time."

Evie gasped in sudden realization. "I forgot to do Chad's homework!" She dropped her dress and stood. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no!" She hurriedly grabbed the prince's backpack and sat again at her sewing desk.

There was a knock on the door and a girl stepped into the room. She wore a pink floral shirt with a pink sash and a short teal skirt. She sported a short bob hairstyle with bangs. "Hey, guys!" She greeted with a smile. "I'm Lonnie." She eyed Mal and Evie cautiously. "My mom's Mulan . . . ?"

"I know of her," Mal insisted with a shrug. "She needed the help of that dim-witted Keyblade wielder and his two doting companions to pass of as a man."

"Right . . ." Lonnie agreed before she forced herself to cheer up. "Anyways, I love what you've done with Jane's hair. And I know you hate us. And, well, you're evil . . . but do you think you could do mine?"

Mal scoffed. "Why would I do that for you?"

She brought out her silk purse. "I'll pay you fifty munny."

"Good answer." Evie dropped the schoolwork to help with the hair emergency. "I need to buy more material." She stood and walked around Lonnie. "Let's see." She stopped in front of her. "I'm thinking we lose the bangs . . . maybe some layers . . . and highlights!"

"Um . . . no." Lonnie denied as she adamantly shook her head. "I want it cool." She gestured to the artist. "Like Mal's."

Mal's jaw dropped while Evie laughed. "Really?" the princess wondered. "The split ends, too?"

Mal rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated breath. She stood and opened her spell book. "Okay . . ." she began, flipping through it. She smiled at Lonnie. "_Beware, forswear, replace the old with cool hair._" With a few swipes of Mal's finger, Lonnie's bob transformed into long, soft brown locks.

Lonnie checked herself out in the mirror and frowned.

"I know, I know." Evie went over to her. "It looks like a mop on your head. Let's cut if off, layer it—"

"No, no, no, no!" Lonnie disagreed. "I love it!" She smiled.

"You do?" Evie frowned.

"It's just . . ." She trailed off before she ripped her skirt up the side. "Now I'm cool."

"Like ice." Mal flashed her a smile.

And with that, a little friendship was born.

Jane looked between the two and ripped her skirt up the side too. She instantly gasped. "What did I just do?" She asked herself. "Mom's going to kill me!"

* * *

Some time later, Jay appeared at the dorm with his new jersey from the Tourney coach. He threw open the door to Mal and Evie's room, whooping and hollering as he proudly showed off his jersey. Carlos whistled from where he sat with Dude on the floor, looking at something on his laptop. Evie was bending over a mountain of homework and copying two sets of answers from her magic mirror. Mal leafed through the spell book on her bed, searching for answers to their problem.

"Did your plan work with Jane?" Jay interrogated Mal. "Are you going over to see the wand?"

"Do you think that I would be going through every single spell in this book if I hadn't completely struck out?" snapped Mal.

"Someone is in a bad mood," Carlos muttered.

"My mom's counting on me!" Mal flicked Carlos's head. "I can't let her down."

"We can do this!" Jay encouraged.

His three friends stared at him.

"If we stick together," he finished.

"And we won't go back until we do," Mal insisted. "Cause we're rotten . . ."

"To the core," they all chanted in unison.

"Oh, yeah," Evie continued nonchalantly. "I also found out that Fairy Godmother blesses Ben with the wand at the coronation and we all get to go. I have nothing to wear, of course." Evie rolled her eyes.

Mal looked at her incredulously.

There was a knock at the door

"What?" Evie wondered, putting on the ditsy act once again.

"Hold that thought," she told Evie as she closed her book. She got up and opened the door.

Ben stood in the hall with a small smile. "Hey," he greeted as his smile turned flirtish. "I just wanted to let you know your test will be tomorrow during Remedial Goodness. If you pass, you won't have to go to class that day."

Mal tilted her head curiously. "Why during Remedial Goodness?"

"I figured you needed a break from the class," he teased. "Even though it will only be your second day."

Mal chuckled lightly as she began to smile. "Thank you," she said genuinely. "How can I repay you?"

"Well . . ." Ben trailed off as he pulled out an envelope from his jacket pocket. "I have two tickets for a private showing of the new Gallery of Keyblade Warriors that will be opening in the Museum of Cultural History. You could come with me as my date."

Mal's jaw drop at the bold announcement. "_What?_" She wondered rhetorically. "You can't be serious."

"Of course I am." Ben placed the envelope back in his pocket and leaned against the doorway as he explained with a knowing smile, "When you spoke about Kingdom Hearts and the Way to the Dawn, you sounded so happy and your face lit up with fondness and admiration. The actual Keyblade is supposed to be on display, and so I immediately thought of you."

A million thoughts circled through Mal's head. Some were ways to tell the prince 'no' while others were ways that she could say 'yes', which scared her more than her mother.

"But what about your girlfriend?" Mal pointed out. "Surely she will get jealous if I were to go with you."

Surprisingly, Ben chuckled at the interrogation. "Actually, I broke up with Audrey a few hours ago," he revealed with a shrug. "I realized she wasn't my type and decided to end it."

After checking the time on his watch, Ben sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go. If there's anything you need—"

"Wait!" Mal exclaimed as she remembered something from a few minutes before. "Is it true that we all get to go to your coronation?"

Ben smiled. "Yeah, the whole school goes."

"Wow. That is beyond exciting," Mal commented almost sarcastically. "Do you think it is at all a possibility that the four of us could stand in the front row next to the Fairy Godmother just so we could . . . soak up all that goodness?"

Ben looked like he was about to say yes, but his face fell. "I really wish all of you could. Up front it's just me, my folks, and my girlfriend."

"And your girlfriend," Mal repeated, nodding slowly. "But you said you didn't have one."

"Oh, I know," he insisted as his flirty smile went back in place. "But that could change if I spend a little more time with you."

Mal couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks as her heartbeat started to quicken. Ben's smile grew at the reaction. After saying his 'good-bye', Ben traveled down the hallway as Mal closed the door.

Mal waited a moment to compose herself before she turned to her friends with a mischievous smile. "I think it's time that Bennyboo got himself a new girlfriend. And I need a love spell." She clapped and Carlos tossed her the spell book.

Time for some magic!


	7. Descendants: Chapter 7

**Here is the next chapter!**

**As I had warned, this one is very short and less detailed compared to previous chapters. You could probably call this an intermission from the original story-line. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

After his talk with Mal, Ben headed to his place where he would have to speak with his parents about a certain issue.

When Ben made his announcement, his parents were completely baffled.

"Why would you want to quit Tourney?" Belle interrogated in her soothing voice. "You love the sport. You're the captain of the team!"

"I don't want to," Ben argued sadly. "I have to."

"Why do you have to?" Beast interrogated as he leaned forward in his chair. "Is your darkness getting the best of you?"

"Yes," Ben admitted without a second thought. "At practice today, I almost lost control of it because we were playing too rough."

"Are you sure it wasn't those two boys from the Isle?"

"They said over and over again that they don't know how to use their darkness," Ben explained. "I used too much of mine while trying to keep up with one of them. The coach finally noticed."

"Ben!" Beast scolded harshly. "How could you use it after the many times that we warned you?"

"I was careful every time," Ben insisted. "It just got away from me this one time."

"Were you able to regain control of your darkness?" Belle wondered softly.

"It took me longer than usual." Ben confessed. "I had to leave practice because of it. No one suspected the darkness was mine."

"Did you try talking to Audrey to control it?"

Ben scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "She made it worse," he claimed. "She is so greedy, self-centered, and conceited. She changed the conversation to herself every time I tried saying something. That's why I broke up with her."

Beast sighed as he leaned back in his seat. "You've decided a lot of things today, haven't you? What are you going to do when you darkness gets out of hand again?"

"It won't," Ben promised with a confident smile. "Don't worry. I've met someone who can hide my darkness _and_ help me control it."


	8. Descendants: Chapter 8

**Here is the next chapter.**

**The hiatus has ended **_**ONLY **_**on this story****. The hiatus is still being kept on 'Our Story'.**

**In honor of Descendants 3, which is premiering Friday on Disney channel (though people say it's already released online), I am adding all the chapters I have finished during the hiatus, which equals _NINE c_hapters. It may take some time before you see them. I might be able to bump it to ten since I ended at an odd section.**

**Reason I am trying to get as many chapters done as possible is because I have a wicked idea for the third movie involving this story after I had read the novelization. There will be a hint during the retelling of Descendants 2.**

**Anyways, be sure to leave a review on what you think about this chapter. Some events have changed from the original story; HOWEVER: the overall plot has stayed the same.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

That night, in the kitchen of the school, Mal whisked together the ingredients for the love potion as her three friends hung out around her, occasionally searching the cabinets for items for her to use.

"Okay," Mal muttered to herself as she referenced the spell book for the thousandth time. Evie scampered over, carrying a medium size bowl of crushed walnuts.

Stirring the contents of the large metal bowl, Mal chanted, "_Crush his heart with an iron glove by making him a slave to love_!"

She paused for a moment before bashfully turning to Evie. "Um . . . it says that we still need one tear, but I never cry."

"Let's just chop up some onions," Carlos suggested, tossing an onion in the air.

"No!" Mal shouted in denial. "It says we need one tear of _human sadness_. This love potion gets the best reviews, so we have to follow it exactly."

Jay rolled his eyes in annoyance, complaining, "A tear's a tear."

"That's not true, Jay," Evie argued as she began to logically explain, "They both have antibodies and enzymes, but an emotional tear has more protein-based hormones than a reflex tear."

Mal grinned. "Listen to you," she cooed.

Evie beamed proudly. In only a few hours, she went from wanting to act totally brainless to demonstrating her intelligence. None of her friends ridiculed her, only praised her. Maybe she's more than a pretty face. . .

"I still don't see the point of making the potion," Carlos commented. "It's obvious Ben likes you. He even implied that he wants to date you."

Mal huffed, though she didn't look up from concoction so the others couldn't see her faint blush in the dim lighting. "He asked me to be his date for the museum," she began to explain. "We need him to ask me to the coronation instead. With this, we will get just that _and_ it will make it look like he's actual interested in me."

"Like he isn't now," Evie teased. "I think you're using this potion as an excuse to say 'yes' to going to that exhibit. Hell, you're probably in love with him and don't want to admit it."

Before Mal could vehemently deny the claim, she heard someone opening the kitchen door. In a split second, Mal hid her spell book under a kitchen towel as Lonnie walked in, wearing a bright pink floral pajama set.

"There you are, Mal!" Lonnie exclaimed happily as she flounced toward her. "I was looking for you! You know, all the girls want you to do their hair."

Lonnie peered at the bowl filled with ingredients that she believed were normal. "Midnight snack, huh? Whatcha guys making?"

"Nothing special." Mal shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Just cookies."

Lonnie swiped a taste of dough from the bowl. Despite the screaming protest, she licked the dough off her finger. The four stared at her in horror. Finally noticing the looks, Lonnie wondered innocently, "What? I don't double dip."

"Feel anything?" Evie interrogated cautiously.

"Yeah, like it's missing something?" said Mal, studying her.

Wanting to test it—or maybe he needed an excuse to flirt with her—Jay tossed his hair and gave Lonnie his most dashing smile, planting himself in front of her. "Hey, there."

Lonnie gave him a blank stare while his smile grew . "Could use some chips," she finally said, heading over to the refrigerator and opening the door.

Jay looked stung. "Chips?"

Mal and Evie leaned against one another as they sighed in relief. "And those are . . . ?" Mal wondered.

"Chocolate chips" Lonnie pulled out a bowl of the dark sweets before closing the door. "Just _the_ most important food group." She set the bowl down on the table. She sprinkled the chips in the dough causing the girls to stare at the new content in the bowl.

Once she noticed their blank stares, Lonnie started to get curious. "Wait. Didn't your moms ever make you guys chocolate chip cookies?" The stares were still blank, so she went on to explain, "Like, when you're feeling sad, and they're fresh from the oven, with a big old glass of milk, and she just makes you laugh and puts everything into perspective and..." She trailed off when she saw the mystified looks, they were giving her. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Mal adverted her gaze with a shake of her head and continued to stir the batter. "It's just different where we're from."

The daughter of Mulan looked at the other, before insisting, "Yeah, I know. I just, you know, I thought... even villains love their kids."

Mal and her friends did not look at one another.

"Oh..." Lonnie trailed off. Tears welled in her eyes at the thought. "How awful." She touched Mal's hands in a comforting way. Mal watched as a fat tear rolled down Lonnie's cheek.

Mal quickly wiped the tear off Lonnie's cheek and casually flicked it into the dough. "Yeah, well, big bummer, but we have to get these into the oven, so thank you so much for coming by." She started to guide Lonnie to the door. "Really, really have a good night."

Evie mixed the dough furiously.

"See you tomorrow. Evil dreams!" Mal called, waving.

"Good night!" Lonnie shouted to the group, ducking out of the kitchen.

Mal turned toward her friends. "Okay!" She clapped. "Boys, cookie sheets! Evie, oven!"

They loaded the dough onto the sheets and waited till cookies were done and cooled before transferring them to a baggie and heading to their dorms to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Mal and Jay walked outside the school by the lockers, following Ben and Audrey at a careful distance.

A group of girls with fun, edgy hairdos were hanging out at a picnic table nearby. When they saw Mal, they waved and pointed to their new looks. Mal waved back at them and opened her locker. Jay noticed Mal pulling out her baggie with a special love-spell cookie inside.

"Are you feeling kind of weird about this?" Jay wondered as he leaned against the locker beside hers. "I mean, it's not so bad here. You know?" He flashed a charming smile to hide his doubt.

Mal faced him. "Are you insane?" She scolded quietly so no one could eavesdrop. "Long live evil!" She reminded as she shook her fist. "You're mean! You're awful! You're _bad_ news! You have _darkness_ flowing through your veins! Snap out of it!"

Jay blinked twice as realization hit him. "Thanks, Mal. I needed that." He laughed and walked toward the picnic table of girls, who ran to fawn over him.

"Do you think they actually paid for those?" Mal heard Audrey questioned Ben, gesturing to the girls' new hairstyles. "She did it to Jane's hair too, and Fairy Godmother's not happy about it. Isn't that breaking the rules? I mean really, Ben, what did you expect from villains like them?"

"What's the harm?" Ben asked, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's just a little magic."

"It's _gateway_ magic!" Audrey squabbled. "Sure, it starts with the hair. Next thing you know it's the lips, the legs, the clothes, and then everybody looks good and then..." She gestured to herself, asking in a baby tone, "Where will I be?"

Ben sighed. "Listen, Audrey—"

She composed herself. "I will see you at the game after my dress fitting for the coronation, okay?"

"Audrey, we aren't toge—"

"Bye, Bennyboo." Audrey air-kissed his cheek and flounced off before Ben had a chance to remind her that they were broken up.

Mal slammed the door of her locker, effectively catching Ben's attention. "Hey, Bennyboo!"

"Hey!" He smiled brightly and walked over to her. "Fairy Godmother told me the good news. Congrats on passing your test."

Mal smiled at the praise, already forgetting her main objective. "I heard part your conversation from a few moments ago," she confessed. "It seems like Audrey doesn't realize you aren't together anymore."

"She's in for a rude awakening," Ben insisted with a soft sigh. "My parents want me to pick _someone_ as my date to the coronation since I broke up with her."

Mal's smile faltered for a second, not realizing how truly jealous that made her. "Whoever you pick will be very lucky."

Ben narrowed his eyes in thought. "Mal, don't you get it? I know I hinted at it last night, but I was completely serious. I want my date to be y—"

"Hey, Ben!" greeted one of his classmates, unintentionally cutting Ben off. "Good luck at the game today! Sorry to hear it's your last one."

The classmate walked off as Mal whipped her toward Ben in surprise. "It's your last game?" She repeated for confirmation. "But I thought you were the captain of the team."

Ben sighed softly. "I'm thinking about quitting," he admitted. "It would be safer if I quit."

Mal tilted her head curiously. "For the team or . . ."

"For me." Ben insisted. "It's like you said, there's two sides to every person. I don't want my other side coming out. However . . ." He trailed off as his flirty smile returned. "I may reconsider if you cheer for me today."

Mal somehow managed to control her blush, but then she remembered her true reason for speaking with him. "Well, I made a batch of cookies." Mal held up the baggie to him with an innocent look on her face to make him forget the previous conversation. "Double chocolate chip. Do you want one?"

Ben chuckled. "That's very kind of you," he commented. "Thank you, but I'm not really into sweets, especially during Tourney season. Maybe another time?"

Mal smiled and nodded politely. "No, yeah. I completely understand," she said. "Be careful of treats offered by kids of villains. I'm sure every kid in Auradon knows that."

"That's not it," Ben argued. "I trust y—"

"No, I get it." Mal interrupted as her heart fluttered a thousand beats per second. "You're cautious. That's smart." She sighed dramatically. "Oh, well. More for me, I guess." She took the cookie from the baggie and acted like she was about to take a bite.

Ben grabbed it before she could and took a large bite to prove a point. "See that? Totally trust you."

Mal glanced over her shoulder at her friends, then back at Ben. "How is it?" she asked.

He took another bite. "Taste like a cookie," Ben joked. He paused for a moment to lean forward to study Mal closer. "Mal, have you always had those golden flecks in your eyes?"

Mal shrugged. "Just proof that I have darkness in me," she commented. "Not many people on the Isle have it because they don't know how to use their darkness. I'm one of the lucky few."

Ben nodded as he finished off the dessert. "I'll see you at the game."

As Mal watched him walk off, her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. The potion didn't work.

Or, so she thought.

* * *

Later on that day, Mal and Evie were hanging out in the stands as they watched the Tourney game. Despite the constant teasing from Evie, Mal cheered on Ben throughout the game. Some spectators commented that Ben was playing even better than before. A few wondered if Mal was the reason behind it.

Closer to the end of the game, the coach finally let Jay and Carlos onto the field. Carlos managed a couple impressive blocks, causing the girls to cheer for him. Jay attempted to score, but the goalie managed to block it. On the next play, Jay and Carlos assisted Ben on scoring the final point as the time ran out.

In the stands, the crowd cheered, roared, and went wild.

"What a team!" The announcer complimented, "Incredible! And it's the new guys, Jay and Carlos, who set up Prince Ben for the win. What a victory! An absolutely wonderful end to one of the best games ever! Here they come folks, the winners—"

Ben grabbed the microphone out of the announcer's hands. "Excuse me!" He shouted into the mic. "Excuse me. Can I have your attention, please?" He stood on the dragon cannon. "There's something I'd like to say."

Once the audience was quiet, Ben locked gazes with Mal, who wasn't hard to find in the stands because of her purple hair. "Mal," he called. "Will you come down here?"

With wide eyes, Mal slowly shook her head in disbelief.

Ben chuckled slightly. "How am I supposed to tell you that I love you if you won't come down here?"

The audience gasped at the reveal. If possible, Mal's eyes grew even wider as she latched her arm around Evie's, who was trying very hard to not tease her at the moment.

"Fine," he commented. "Then I'll go to you."

He made his way up the bleachers with the crowd muttering to each other. Mal attempted to hide behind Evie, who simply turned her around so she could face the prince.

"I love you, Mal," he confessed before his smile turned into a smirk. "Did I mention that?"

Before Ben could say more, Audrey abruptly marched up the stairs—dragging Chad behind her—and forcefully snatched the microphone out of his hand. "Chad's my boyfriend now!" she announced, draping her around Chad. "And I'm going to the coronation with him. So, I don't need your pity date." She smiled and kissed Chad firmly on the lips.

From beside Mal, Evie placed her hands on her hips and looked away.

Ben stole the microphone away from the princess. He adverted his attention back to the purple-haired girl in front of him. "Mal, will you be my date to the coronation?"

Surprising herself, Mal smiled genuinely as she answered, "I'd love to."

As the crowd cheered at the response, Jay appeared beside Ben. "Come on, man. The whole team's waiting for you."

On a split second decision, Mal gave Ben a kiss on the cheek, though she would chide herself later for doing such a stupid thing. "Go," she said. "You'll see me around later."

Ben smiled at the action before following Jay back onto the field. Mal turned to Evie, who was fuming and possibly scolding herself for being tricked by Chad.

"You know what?" Mal asked rhetorically. "I feel _really _sorry for Audrey."

Evie looked surprised. "You do?"

"Yeah. I feel like if she were talented like you, and she knew how to sew and do triple flips, then she wouldn't need a prince to make her better about herself."

Evie chuckled softly and smiled. "I guess I am kind of gifted."

"Kind of," Mal teased, smiling.

Evie laughed and beamed at Mal. "Thanks, M."

"What a victory," the announcer announced, "What a day for the Auradon Knights, finally winning back the trophy after so many years." Jay was lifted up in the air with a giant trophy in his hands. "And there he is. Jay, the most valuable player. How do you like that?"

* * *

The next day in Chemistry, Evie and her classmates were taking a tough multi-page test. Chad tried to cheat off another student, who blocked his view. Evie frowned at a hard problem. She gave up on trying to figure out the question on her own and reached for the mirror in her purse for some help.

But it wasn't there.

"Looking for something?" Mr. Delay questioned. Evie slammed her purse shut as he revealed her mirror from behind his back.

Evie gasped, speechless.

"Thank you, Chad." Mr. Delay rested a hand on the teen's shoulder. "It's gratifying to see someone still respects the honor code.

Chad smiled smugly at her. She glared at him in response.

Mr. Delay rounded on Evie. "It will be my recommendation that you are expelled," he warned.

That snapped Evie from her daze, for she began to argue, "Mr. Delay, I . . ."

"But that's not fair!" Doug shouted as jumped out of his seat, disrupting the others that were pretending to take the test, coming to the rescue for Evie. "Obviously she wasn't cheating, since she didn't have that . . . whatever that is."

"It's called a magic mirror—"

"Not helping," Doug whispered to her.

"Maybe she needed another pencil," he suggested to the teacher.

"Actually, I was—" Evie started.

"Really," Doug turned to her. "Don't help." He turned back to the teacher. "Please."

"Please," Evie begged, looking up at Mr. Delay.

"Well, if you can pass this test, I'll return your property and let the matter drop." Mr. Delay promised.

Evie smiled, nodding her head in agreement as Doug sighed in relief.

Chad smiled meanly at her. She glared at him until Doug tapped her arm to get her to work on the test.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Evie was practically skipping through the picnic area trying to find Doug. She found him sitting at a picnic table doing his homework and eating lunch. She placed her blue Auradon Prep examination booklet in front of him. There was a 'B+' at the top corner of the booklet.

"For the first time," Evie began with a wistful tone, "it's like I'm more than just a pretty face."

Doug laughed. "Shocker, huh?" he said with a warm smile

Evie took a seat next to him. "You were pretty great in there."

"So were you," he complimented, grinning dopily.

The blue-haired fashionista smiled warmly. She looked down at her paper proudly. "I bet I can get an A on the next test without the mirror."

"Well, maybe we can get together more often and we'll hang out..."

"Yeah," Evie nodded her head happily. "Let's get together."

Mal appeared out of nowhere walking briskly to the couple. "There you are!" She shouted at Evie once she was within hearing range. "I have been looking for you literally everywhere!"

"What's wrong?" Evie questioned.

Mal slammed her hands on the picnic table before announcing, "Ben just asked me out on"—she huffed—"a date."

Evie and Doug chuckled. "We can handle this." Evie told her with a devious smile. She reluctantly stood from her seat, but not before kissing Doug on the cheek. "Bye Doug." She turned to Mal. "You're looking a little pale, but I can fix that with a lip gloss and some blush—"

"No, no, no . . ." Mal repeatedly denied as the girls headed back to their dorm.

When the two girls were a few feet away, Doug sighed contently as he continued with his homework, happy he was getting somewhere with the girl of his dreams.


	9. Descendants: Chapter 9

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Some things have changed in this chapter that doesn't change the overall plot of the story. A couple ideas are added.**

* * *

_Young Mal had only been five years old when she traveled to the marketplace with her mother, where a goblin tripped and fell, spilling his basket of fruit everywhere. Without thinking, she started picking up the fruit, helping the goblin gather it all. One by one, she picked up the apples, dusted them off on her dress, and placed them in the basket. _

_Suddenly, Mal looked up from where she crouched. The market went silent. Everyone, including her mother, who was rotten-apple red and fuming, stared at her._

"_Get up this instant," her mother hissed. Maleficent kicked the basket, the apples falling out again._

_Mal obeyed. When they got back home, her mother locked her in her room to think about what she had done. "If you're not careful, my girl, you'll end up just like _him_—just like your father—weak and powerless. AND PATHETIC!" Maleficent had bellowed through the locked door._

_Little Mal had stared into the dingy mirror leaning precariously on her vanity when she noticed a faint glow on the bottom edge of the glass. Glancing down, Mal held back a gasp at the sight of a thin shroud of light covering her hand. She did the only thing she could think of._

_She ran to Professor Yen Sid for guidance._

_His advice? Wear a glove to help hide her light. As she grows older, she will believe the glove can help her control the light. No one will know her dark secret._

Mal blinked into reality when the makeup brush abruptly came too close to her eye. She was seated on her bed in the dorm room as Evie applied blush to her cheeks, making them rosy instead of pale. She was dressed for her date in a terrific mix of punk and princess, with a scarf, dress, and leather jacket.

"Okay!" Mal jerked away when the blush came close to her eye again. "Easy on the blush. I don't want to scare him away." She looked thoughtful as a small smile graced her lips without her knowing. "Not that I could."

"Please." Evie smiled. "Mom taught me how to apply blush before I could talk." She carefully finished applying the color. "Always use upward strokes."

"My mom was never really big on makeup tips," Mal claimed. "I never had a sister."

"Well, now you do." Evie began dabbing red lipstick on Mal's lips. "We're going to need all the family we can get if we don't pull this off. My mother's not a barrel of laughs when she doesn't get her way." She rolled her eyes. "Just ask Snow White."

"Are you afraid of her?" Mal wondered.

Evie hesitated. "Sometimes," she admitted. "Are you afraid of your mom?"

"I just really want her to be proud of me," Mal insisted. "She gets so angry when I disappoint her. And, yeah, she's my mom, so I know she loves me . . . in her own way."

"Speaking of love," Evie began with a teasing tone, "I honestly thought the potion didn't work. I expected him to be fighting for your attention, not acting so . . . casual about loving you."

"We might have done something wrong with the potion." Mal shrugged nonchalantly. "Could you imagine what could have happened? He could have pronounced his love for me through a sappy love song."

Evie giggled at the possibility. What can she say? Magic can be unpredictable. "Moving on," she began as she stood. "Come see."

"Are we done?" Mal wondered.

"Yeah."

Evie led Mal to the mirror to show off her masterpiece. Mal stared at her reflection in surprise, unconsciously laughing at the amazing transformation.

Evie hugged her best friend from behind. "I know."

"I look . . ." Mal trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Say it," Evie encouraged.

"Not hideous."

"Not even close," Evie agreed, shaking her head as she beamed at her handiwork.

Mal forced a giggle as she broke into a radiant smile. Just then, someone knocked on the door, distracting Mal from her light that was close to emerging. When she opened the door, Mal looked into the face of the future king of Auradon.

Ben wore a letter jacket on top of casual clothing as he carried two helmets under his arms. He gazed at Mal from head to toe in awe. "For the first time," he began serenely, "I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful."

Mal's face broke into a smile at the compliment. Ben offered Mal one of the helmets. "I hope you like bikes."

Mal took the helmet gingerly, holding it like it was an explosive. "Do you know how to drive?"

"Learned a couple years ago." Ben insisted with a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm a safe driver. I only crashed once."

Mal shot Evie a scared look before she stepped out.

Evie smiled and closed the door, silently wishing her 'sister' good luck on her first date.

* * *

Mal walked with Ben down the dorm hall and outside the school, where Ben's blue and yellow Vespa was waiting for them. She and Ben climbed on before cruising down a paved road. In the matter of a handful of minutes, they were outside the museum.

"I told you I wanted you to be my date to the exhibit," Ben reminded in a teasing tone once he saw Mal's confused expression. "After we spend a few minutes here, we'll go on the second part of the date."

After going through security, the two were led to the Gallery of Keyblade Warriors, where they had only ten minutes to observe the exhibit. They may have had more time, if the workers hadn't recognized Mal as Maleficent's offspring.

The exhibit grew twice in size from when Mal last seen it, which had been only three days ago. The room had to be expanded to fit all the extra figurines, manly of the companions that assisted all the Keyblade wielders on their journeys. One of the employees informed beforehand that they shrunk the Gallery of Villains for the extra space, moving the appropriate sculptures to the new exhibit. The villains' replicas had informational plaques in front of each to explain what they did concerning the Keyblade wielder's journeys. Maleficent, of course, had the most information.

However, Mal's attention was once again drawn to the broken Keyblade that was now displayed in the center of the room.

"Way to the Dawn has the most security out of everything in this museum," Ben informed. "And that's including Fairy Godmother's magic wand. They, meaning my parents and Fairy Godmother, don't want it to fall into the wrong hands, even though it's useless in this state. Everyone knows you can't fix a broken Keyblade."

Even as he said it, Mal could still feel the Keyblade pulsing in power, as though it was still alive and angered by the insult. If only she could free it from its prison . . .

Before Mal could make her decision again, the time-limit had passed and the couple was somewhat forcefully removed from the museum, having to go through security again in case Mal decided to smuggle something on the way out. They hadn't said that, but she just had to assume.

You know how the saying goes: _never_ trust a villain.

* * *

Grinning ear to ear, Mal held onto Ben's chest as they rode through the beautiful countryside. Sunlight dappled the ferns and trees. Birds chirped their afternoon song. Wild rabbits and young fauns watched safely from the tree lines.

Before Mal knew it, they were slowing through a grove of tall trees. Ben parked the Vespa of the side of the road, kicking the stand down to prevent it from tilting over. After helping Mal off, he began leading her through the forest and onto a suspension bridge high above a rushing stream.

As they took their first steps, Ben noticed Mal's nervousness about crossing the unsteady bridge. To keep her distracted, he instructed, "Tell me something about yourself that you've never told anyone."

On first instinct, Mal wanted to tell him about the light inside her, but immediately thought better of it. "Um . . ." Mal began as she pondered on a couple ideas. "My middle name . . . is Bertha."

Ben chuckled at the innocent confession. "Bertha? Really?"

She shrugged carelessly. "Just my mom doing what she does best: being really, _really_ evil." She laughed at the irony. "Mal Bertha."

Ben smiled, revealing to help with her embarrassment, "Mine's Florian."

"Florian?" Mal scoffed. "How princely."

"I mean, you know, it's better than _Bertha_," he teased.

Soon they finished crossing the bridge with their laughter echoing around them. Once on the other side, Ben smiled encouragingly at Mal. "Close your eyes," he requested. "We have a short walk until our destination. I want you to be surprised."

Nodding lightly, Mal obediently closed her eyes, allowing Ben to guide her down a forest path. Taking her hands, he gently pulled her this way and that way, over logs and across puddles.

After ten minutes—though it felt like an hour to Mal—Ben finally stopped. "You ready?" he asked her as he soothingly rubbed her arms. When Mal nodded timidly, he whispered into her ear, "Open."

Slowly opening her eyes, Mal gasped at the sight.

Ben had brought her to the Enchanted Lake, the very one that Mal believed was just a myth. Mal looked upon the jade colored waters of the magical lake. A stone platform with a few ancient pillars wrapped in ivy with purple flowers protruded on the edge of the lake. Mal gaped at the beauty of it while Ben smiled at her reaction.

They carefully walked onto the platform and sat on a blue picnic blanket, where a lavish array of food had been laid out for them. Mal took a jelly doughnut and cautiously bit into the foreign food. Liking the filling inside, she practically scarfed down the rest, getting powdered sugar on the edge of her lips.

"So?" Ben smiled at her pure action. "What do you think?"

"Mmm . . . This is really good." She licked the sugar off her fingers as she spoke. "I've never had anything like this before."

Ben chuckled. "I can tell," he teased. "You've got a . . ." He leaned forward to brush the sugar from her lips.

She laughed as she grabbed a napkin to get rid of the rest. "Can't take me anywhere, I guess." Mal hesitated, deciding to change the subject. "So, how does it feel . . . knowing you're going to be king?"

Ben adverted his gaze to the ground at the question.

"What?" Mal wondered as she leaned forward.

"A crown doesn't make you a king," Ben insisted stubbornly.

Mal squinted. "Well . . . it kind of does."

Ben smiled. "What I mean is, your mother is Mistress of Evil. I've got the poster parents for goodness," he began his explanation. "But we're not automatically like them. We get to choose who we're going to be. And right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell you're not evil. I see something . . . more." He stared intently into Mal's eyes, gazing into her soul.

Mal couldn't help being afraid of what he might fine. With everything that has happened to her, she wouldn't be surprised if he found out her dark secret.

Ben broke the gaze to look at the lake. "I'm going for a swim." He stood and held out his hand. "Want to come with?"

Mal glanced at the water before shaking her head in denial. "I'll stay here."

"Are you sure?" He wondered. "It's not that deep—"

"I can't swim," she interjected quickly, surprised at herself for confessing something so easily.

Ben, on the other hand, looked completely shocked. "But you live on an island."

"With a barrier around it," she retorted bitterly. "The only villain children that know how are those that live by the docks. Jay, Evie, Carlos, and I lived in the center of town. No water anywhere near us."

"I'm so sorry," Ben apologized guiltily. "I had no idea. We can do something else—"

"It's fine," Mal promised with a light shrug. "Go swim. I'll stay behind and try a strawberry." She grabbed one from a bowl. "I've never tried one before." She took a big bite, instantly amazed on how tasty it was. "Mmmmm."

Ben chuckled once again at her cute reaction. "Don't eat them all," he teased.

"Okay." But Mal grabbed two more, chowing down as the prince walked away.

When she looked over her shoulder, Mal saw he had climbed one of the large rocks surrounding the lake and perched near its top. He admittedly looked handsome, even if his swim trunks had crowns on them.

Ben waved at her as she called out, "Are those little crowns on your shorts?"

He looked down at his swim trunks. "Maybe!" he shouted back, smiling. Then, with a beastly roar, Ben cannon-balled off the rock and made a gigantic splash in the lake.

Mal's face glowed. She had a million thought in her head: she couldn't decide what was right and was wrong anymore. She was having second thoughts about carrying through with her mother's plan.

When Ben had looked into her eyes, had he really seen goodness?

Did she have a choice?

Should she tell about her light?

A moment passed before Mal realized Ben had not emerged from the lake. "Ben?" she called, scanning the surface. The water was smooth, with no trace of him. "Ben? _Ben?_" She jumped into the lake and began walking into deeper water, looking for him. But the lake suddenly became too deep, and she thrashed around in a panic.

Suddenly, Ben appeared at her side and carried her back to their picnic area.

Mal sputtered and coughed the water out of her lungs. "You scared me!" She screamed, smacking his arm angrily.

Ben looked at Mal intently. "And you tried to save me."

She scoffed. "Yeah. And do you thank me? No! All I get is soaking!"

"And, uh, this fancy rock." He offered her a crystal he'd brought up from the bottom of the lake. "It's yours. You're supposed to make a wish and throw it back in the lake."

Mal chucked it into the lake, growling, then stood and walked over to sit on the picnic blanket. Ben followed her. He threw his jacket over her shoulders and sat next to her.

He touched her wet hair and held her gaze intensely. "Light . . ."

Mal's eyes widened in worry. "Excuse me?"

"I can see your light," Ben explained as he scooted closer. "It's stronger now than it was before."

She adamantly shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about—"

"Professor Yen Sid told me," the prince insisted. "I wrote to him about a month before you came to Auradon. I asked who would be best for my proclamation. You were the first person he listed because of the light inside you, which you discovered when you were only five. Professor named the other three because you were around them the most. He claimed the light inside _you_ may be enough to convince them to choose good."

Mal huffed in annoyance. "He promised not to tell."

"He did it to protect your light," Ben reassured. "Though, he said you prefer to keep it contained with the gloves you wear."

"You can't tell anyone. If my mother finds out—"

"I won't tell," he promised sincerely. After a moment he sighed. "Since I know your secret, I suppose I should let you in on mine."

Ben outstretched his hand with his palm facing up. Mal watched with curiosity which quickly morphed into astonishment as the hand was covered in a thin veil of a purplish-black glow.

Darkness.

"I was born with it," Ben began, forcing the darkness back inside him. "My parents have helped me hide it for as long as I could remember. Recently, I've convinced myself that my gold ring has helped me suppress it. I was proven wrong when I used too much during Tourney practice."

Mal gaped. "Jay told me the coach sensed darkness during the practice and blamed him. _That_ was _you?_"

"I lost control," he admitted. "I used it many times before in other practices. That was the first time somebody finally sensed."

"But then you stopped," Mal assumed. "Right?"

Ben shook his head in amusement. "Nope, I used it during the Tourney game. I probably used more than I should have. It was the best game I ever played and no one noticed my darkness."

"How?"

"Your light," he answered. "When you cheered for me, your light masked my darkness. After that practice, nothing seemed to help until I spoke to you. I knew then that your light would help me during the Tourney game, even if you didn't realize you were using it. I've gained more control of it since you came here in Auradon."

"I've gained more control of my light too," Mal confessed too easily. "I didn't think it was because of you."

Ben smiled as he moved slightly forward. "You know, I told you that I love you. Do you love me?"

Mal adverted her gaze away from the prince and turned her face so he wouldn't see her saddened expression. "I don't know what love feels like."

Reaching forward to place a hand on her cheek, Ben tilted Mal's head to face him. "Maybe," he began slowly, "I can show you."

Leaning forward, Ben brushed his lips against hers in a slow, soothing kiss that melted Mal's heart and made the butterflies flutter even faster in her stomach. Her light went out of control, but she didn't care one bit.

That night, Mal fell asleep with the goofy smile still gracing her lips at the memory of her first kiss.

* * *

The next morning in the Remedial Goodness classroom, Fairy Godmother strolled up to the four villain kids of

"Children," she called, "excuse me, um, as you know, this Saturday, tomorrow, is Family Day here at Auradon Prep. And because your parents can't come, due to . . . uh . . . distance . . . we've arranged for a special treat."

Fairy Godmother strolled over to a TV monitor on a cart that had been brought into the classroom and clicked a specific command on the keyboard. In a blink of the eye, the entire screen was filled with the image of their parents sitting on a couch in the Bargain Castle, Maleficent's home. Fairy Godmother beckoned Mal and her friends to the TV. The four obeyed reluctantly, with Carlos carrying Dude, who was dressed in a jacket similar to Carlos's.

"Evie!" Evil Queen shouted, watching as the image appeared on their dinky laptop. "It's your mommy!"

Evie waved at the TV monitor.

"Look how beautiful," Evil Queen complimented. "You know what they say: the poison apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Silence," Maleficent chided sternly. "We have too much to discuss in our limited time. We can't waste it on such childish behavior."

Mal rolled her eyes before greeting calmly, "Hello, Mother."

"Mal," Maleficent cooed too lovingly to be natural. "I've missed you while you have been away. How is Auradon treating my baby girl?"

Mal flinched at being referred to in such a way. The last she had been called that was the morning of the incident with the goblins and apples when she was five.

"Fairly," Mal decided. "I tested out of history class a couple days ago, so Prince Ben helped me transfer into an art class to replace it. I start today."

Maleficent nodded absentmindedly while her green eyes were void of any real emotion. "How long until I can see you in person? The Isle is certainly quiet without you . . ."

"Maybe some time after the coronation," Mal guessed.

"Which is when?"

"Not sure," Mal answered before any of her friends could. "The coronation was postponed due to our arrival. It could be a couple days or a couple weeks before Ben becomes king."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes. "I expect to hear from you again."

"Yes." Mal nodded solemnly. "I understand, Mother."

Cruella leaned over Maleficent and spoke into the monitor. "Carlos! Is that a _dog_?" She consulted the bejeweled stuffed-animal dog head on her vest. "Yes, yes, Baby, I do understand. It would make the perfect size for earmuffs." She cackled.

"He's the perfect size for a _pet_," shouted Carlos fiercely, hugging Dude close. "This dog loves me and I love him! And FYI, your dog is stuffed! So, give it a rest!"

Cruella stroked Baby. Her lip trembled.

Meanwhile, Jafar laughed. "Oh! Burn!"

"Oh, why don't you sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman?" Cruella retorted.

"People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn't throw stones!" Jafar countered.

"Oh, well, people who toasters shouldn't use mixed metaphors!" snapped Cruella.

"Enough!" Evil Queen exclaimed.

Mal and her friends stood in front of the monitor, shifting their weight and looking at each other, embarrassed. Jay hit the keyboard. The monitor went black.

"I'm so sorry," Fairy Godmother apologized.

Jay turned to Fairy Godmother with a small smile. "Thanks for the special treat." He, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Dude headed out of the classroom, leaving Fairy Godmother behind.

"M," Evie began, "what do you think our parents are going to do to us if we don't pull this off?"

Mal paused. "I think they will be quietly disappointed in us but ultimately proud of us for doing our best," she said with a smile.

"Really?" Carlos wondered with hope in his voice.

"No, I think we are definitely goners," said Mal, her smile sliding away.

* * *

At the end of the day, they trudged to Jay and Carlos's dorm room and began plotting. The group gathered around a table and examined Mal's sketches and a drawn diagram of the cathedral where the coronation would be taking place. Mal had drawn Xs and arrows all over it: a detailed plan of the want snatch. At the center of the map, Mal had drawn a picture of her hand reaching for the wand that Fairy Godmother held.

"I will be in the very front," Mal informed. "As of now, all of you will be up in the balcony. Carlos?"

"Okay, so I'll find our limo so we can break the barrier and get back on the island with the wand," Carlos continued.

Jay glanced at him thoughtfully.

"Perfect," said Mal. "So we get away unharmed, I will take out the driver with my darkness."

_Or with my light, _she thought bitterly.

Mal looked at Carlos, who looked at Jay, who looked at Evie, who looked at Mal. Mal sighed, sat down at the table, and turned to a page in the spell book that read HOW TO REMOVE A LOVE SPELL.

Evie peeked at what Mal was reading. "M, you want to break Ben's love spell?" she asked. "You didn't tell our parents his coronation is on Sunday. Do you even want to go through with the plan anymore?"

Mal sighed in defeat. "Something happened yesterday during our date," she confessed reluctantly. "Something that made me regret putting Ben under that spell. It made me unsure if I even want to take the wand. Either way, I don't want to make Ben suffer because the spell is still in place."

Evie sat next to Mal and placed her hand on top of hers in a comforting. "What happened?"

Surprisingly, Mal laughed as she shook her head stubbornly. "I'll tell you later," she promised. "Maybe when I'm not feeling so guilty."

Mal closed her spell book and practically stormed out of the room. Evie followed shortly after to her room. Jay flicked off all the lights and climbed into bed. Then he got up and walked over to his tourney trophy. Carlos patted Dude.

In her dorm room, Evie lay in bed awake. She pulled the chemistry test out from under her pillow and reveled in the B+ again.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Mal regretfully mixed the ingredients for the new potion. "_A million thoughts in my head_," she sang softly with a sob. "_Should I let my heart keep listening? I know, it's time, to say, goodbye. So hard to let go . . ._"

A tear dripped down from her face and into the batter.

The final ingredient.


	10. Descendants: Chapter 10

**Family day and coronation have been joined together in this chapter. **

**I wanted the movie retellings to be comprised of ten chapters maximum, while the books will be comprised of five.**

* * *

The next morning, the sun shone over the rose garden on the breezy Family Day.

On the green lawn, Ben led a choir of students in singing 'Be Our Guest' as a way to kick off the event. A student banner read FAMILY DAY! GOODNESS DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER. Some students and their families danced, while others enjoyed plates of every type of delicious food imaginable from various tables and tents.

Mal grabbed a strawberry from a table as she, Evie, Jay, and Carlos stepped into the throng. Carlos handed off Dude to Evie and ate strawberries he dipped in a lavishly flowing chocolate fountain.

The happy choir dispersed. Mal nibbled her strawberry and watched Ben join Beast and Belle. They stepped under a stone archway and posed for the photographer.

"Oh!" Ben suddenly exclaimed. "I forgot to tell you: I have a new girlfriend."

The parents gasped dramatically.

"Well that's wonderful!" Queen Belle cheered. "And you were right about Audrey. I hadn't realized it before, but she is a little self-absorbed. With a fake smile"—Belle flashed a fake smile for the photographer and continued to speak through it—"a kind of kiss-up."

"Do we know her?" King Beast wondered.

"On the count of three," warned the photographer. "One . . . two . . ."

"Sort of . . ." Ben waved at Mal, who meekly waved back. "Mal!" he called to her, beckoning her over.

"Three!" shouted the photographer.

Belle's and Beast's frozen looks of shock were captured in the photo.

"Mal, you look beautiful, as always" Ben complimented his beloved as they walked to each other. They shared a comforting hug which slowly turned lovingly; only meaning to last a second instead of a few moments. Ben whispered into Mal's ear, "I wanted to introduce you to my parents."

Mal sighed as she tightened her grip. "Hopefully, your father won't go 'Beast' and your mother won't use her elbow on me."

Ben laughed at the harmless joke as they finally broke their embrace. With their arms intertwined, Ben politely escorted her to his parents. "This is Mal. From the Isle. My girlfriend."

"Hi." Queen Belle greeted with an uneasy laugh in her tone.

"Hi," Mal replied uneasily as she tightened her grip on Ben's arm.

King Beast merely wave, maybe to prevent himself from saying anything rude or offensive.

"I was thinking maybe she could join us for lunch," Ben suggested. "That way you can get to know her before the coronation tomorrow."

"Of course," King Beast agreed with a nod. "Any friend of Ben's—"

"Um," Mal interrupted nervously, "I actually came with my friends."

"Well," Queen Belle began, "you should . . . invite them."

Queen Belle gazed past Mal at the girl's three friends. Jay was drinking directly from the chocolate fountain as Carlos, his face smeared with chocolate, jumped up and down, giggling, and dipped more strawberries into the fountain. Evie bounced Dude up and down in her arms.

Queen Belle smiled kindly to hide her reluctance. "The more, the merrier!"

"Okay!" Mal smiled as well. "I'll go grab them." She turned to get her friends.

"How about a game of croquet before lunch?" proposed King Beast. "That way we have something to discuss over our meal."

"Of course!" Mal agreed.

"But there is something else I want to talk about too," Ben intervened. "Mal and I had this debate when it came to our knowledge of the Keyblade wielders' journeys. I know everything from you and Mom—who experienced it firsthand—while she learned everything from Professor Yen Sid."

"Your mother didn't tell you anything?" Queen Belle wondered.

"Almost nothing," Mal admitted reluctantly. "But it's not—"

"Do you think you could tell a few of your stories?" Ben requested, purposely interrupting his beloved. "Mal would enjoy it and I'd like to hear them again."

"After we play a couple rounds of croquet," King Beast decided. "It will your mother and I some time to figure out what one we should tell first."

"Game on!" Ben cheered, high-fiving his dad.

"Game on," King Beast said as he tried to laugh off his tenseness while Belle smiled to hide her nervousness.

Mal and Ben turned their backs to the royals. "Have you played before?" whispered Ben.

"No," Mal denied.

Ben snorted. "Don't worry. It's easy."

As Mal and Ben walked away toward the croquet lawn, Queen Belle's and King Beast's smiles vanished. Queen Belle nearly fainted to which King Beast caught her.

* * *

Mal happily trotted toward her friends. _Maybe we will have a nice time after all_, she thought positively. She walked onto the lawn, picked up a croquet stick, and hit the ball. Students frolicked around her. Mal smiled at an older woman in a pale pink suit, Queen Leah.

"Hello there," greeted Queen Leah, strolling up to her with a smile.

"Hi," Mal replied with a sweet tone.

"Now," Queen Leah began as circled around Mal like a vulture circles their pray, "have we met?"

"No, I don't think so." Mal denied being polite as she possible could. "I'm new. I'm sort of like a . . . transfer student."

Audrey appeared beside them with in a pink dress holding a glass of punch. "Grammy," the princess greeted with a smile.

"Oh, Audrey!" Queen Leah dramatically exclaimed, almost like she wanted everyone to know how loving she is. "Give Grammy a kiss, dear."

Audrey gave the retired queen a kiss on the cheek before she noticed Mal.

"'_Grammy_'?" The purple-haired repeated in a curious, but worried tone.

"Sleeping Beauty's mother," Audrey informed in a snobbish tone. "Grammy, I don't think you want to be talking to this girl. Unless you feel like taking another hundred-year nap or having your heart taken from you."

Queen Leah stared hard at Mal. "What?" She backed away from Mal in horror, mistaking her for Maleficent. "_You_!" she cried in recognition, making Mal flinch. "How are you here?" She examined Mal again, but this time a little more mystified. "And how have you stayed so young?"

Everybody in the garden grew quiet as they gathered around to watch the train wreck.

Ben rushed over, mainly to make sure Mal's light stayed in check. "Queen Leah, everything is fine," he insisted politely. "Maleficent is still on the island. This is her daughter, Mal." He placed an affectionate hand on Mal's shoulder. "Don't you remember my official proclamation to give the new generation a chance?"

"A chance to _what_, Ben?" Queen Leah questioned rhetorically. "_Destroy _us?" She gazed at all the adults. "You remember, don't you?" She turned to her audience. "The poison apples. And the spells!"

The current King and Queen of Auradon adverted their solemn gaze to the ground at their tragic memory of magic spells.

"The spells. . ." Queen Leah narrowed her eyes at Mal. "My daughter lost her heart because of your mother's spells, as did most of the queens here, _including_ Queen Belle. What will you do to out-do your mother's crimes? Perhaps take Prince Ben's heart?"

Mal gaped at the retired queen, the accusation affecting her more than she thought. Mal's eyes started to water and her heart ached at merely imagining doing such a horrible thing. "I . . . I would _never_—"

"Sure, you wouldn't," Chad commented sarcastically as he stepped between the two. "You were only raised by your mother."

Ben stepped in front of Mal to protect her from the insults. He kept a hand behind his back, which Mal essentially grabbed to keep his darkness contained. "Don't do this Chad," Ben ordered with a light glare. "Mal has done nothing to you or anyone here. In case you don't know, Maleficent saved a Keyblade wielder _three_ times out of the goodness of her heart. Why is it hard to believe that Mal inherited her mother's goodness instead of her mother's evil?"

"You're defending them?" Chad interrogated in surprise. "Ben, they were raised by their _parents_. What do you think villains teach their children? Kindness? Fair play? No way!"

The other students looked at Mal and her friends with growing suspicion.

Chad turned to face Mal. "You stole another girl's boyfriend!"

"_HEY_!" Ben shouted as he took a dangerous step closer to Chad. "I broke up with Audrey _before_ I started dating Mal! Honestly, I should have broken up with her sooner than I did!"

"Jay enjoys hurting people," Chad accused.

"Yet he always helps those that he knocks down during practice and Tourney games," Ben countered defensively.

"Well . . . Evie is a gold-digger and a cheater!" Chad smiled victoriously at the audience.

Ben raised an eyebrow as he felt his anger rise. Mal gripped his hand tighter, expelling more of her light to dispel his darkness.

"Evie works hard for her money and studied well enough to pass that exam," Ben insisted. "If I recall correctly, _you_ were the one that was using her by making her do _your_ homework. _You_ stole her magic mirror and _you _accused her of cheating when she didn't use it. As far as I can tell, _you_ are the villain in this scenario."

Ignoring the gaping looks from the audience, Ben turned to his beloved and kissed her temple, using the action to mumble to Mal, "Go. I'll find you in a few to check on you."

With a small nod, Mal reluctantly let go of his hand and started to walk with her three friends. Chad noticed them fleeing and made a move to grab Mal's arm. "Now hold on a sec—"

Chad barely grazed her skin before he was forcefully knocked away by a purplish-black glow. The spoiled prince fell on his back while everyone dramatically gasped at what transpired. Mal's eyes were wide in surprise, but she immediately knew how it happened when Ben once again stepped in front of Mal.

Ben glared at the fallen Chad as he growled menacingly, "_Enough._"

Wrapping his arm around Mal's shoulder, Ben protectively led her away as Jay, Evie, and Carlos followed behind them.

* * *

When lunch rolled around, the five were outside at a picnic table. None of them spoke. Mal had her head leaned against Ben's shoulder as he tried to soothe her with calming words and by rubbing comforting circles on her arm. A ring of empty tables surrounded theirs, and beyond that sat the others in their cliques, staring them down. Well, mainly Ben as they saw him as a traitor.

Ben's phone went off with a text. When he checked his mobile device, he sighed in aggravation. "I have to go," Ben informed the group. "My parents want me to talk with the press about what happened. They want me to calm them down so they aren't talking about it tomorrow during the coronation. "

None of them responded as they were still in their gloomy daze. Mal reluctantly lifted her head so he could leave.

"After the coronation, I promise everything will be okay," Ben vowed. "They will treat you better than they did today."

Ben placed a hand on Mal's cheek and turned her face to gaze at him. "I'll check on you later," he promised. "We'll talk about what happened."

Without a second thought, Ben leaned forward to kiss his beloved Mal. Her three friends were more surprised when she rested a hand on his cheek to pull him deeper into the kiss. The occupants of the table directly behind the couple stared at the two like they were insane. When they finally, yet reluctantly, pulled away, Ben gave her another kiss to the forehead. "I love you."

Mal gaped at him, unsure of what to say. "I . . ."

"It's okay," Ben insisted with a small smile. "I can wait for as long as it takes for you to say it to me." He kissed her one last time on her forehead before he got up from his seat and left the group.

Once the soon-to-be king was a few feet away, Evie leaned forward to whisper harshly to Mal, "Is that what he did on your date? He kissed you?"

Mal nodded slowly, but then what Ben said a few minutes prior finally dawned on her. "_Shit!_"

Bursting out of her seat, Mal quickly caught up to Ben, stopping him in his path. "Tell them it was me," she ordered quietly. "That I was the one that created the darkness, not you."

Ben straightened his stance in surprise. "But—"

"If the public finds out there is darkness in you, they won't allow you to be king," Mal reasoned. "They will have the next person in line be king, and I do _not_ want to live in a kingdom that is ruled by Chad Charming."

Ben chuckled. "Alright, I'll say it's you, on one condition: you are not allowed to wear any gloves during the coronation."

Mal sighed in annoyance. "Ben, my light—"

"I'll have a set on me in case you can't control it," Ben negotiated. "Deal?"

"Deal." Kissing him on the cheek, Mal returned to her friends while Ben continued on his path.

After a few minutes, Audrey casually strolled past the 'VK' table with Jane. Audrey talked loudly enough for Mal and her friends to hear. "How long does she think that's going to last? She's the bad-girl infatuation." Audrey shot them a cruel smile.

"Yeah," Jane agreed as she leaned forward tauntingly. "He's _never_ going to make a villain a queen."

Most of the girls laughed, while Audrey and Jane strolled to their table with a victorious spring in their step.

Mal glowered and flipped through her spell book, waving her finger as she chanted, "_Beware, forswear, undo Jane's hair._"

Jane screamed as her short bob replaced the long wavy brown locks. Jane's friends backed away, pointing and laughing at her hairdo. Jane looked absolutely mortified. Lonnie stroked her own hair, making sure it was still long and glamorous.

"There's a lot more where that came from." Mal declared as she stood from her seat.

"Excuse me, who do you think you are?" asked Audrey, hand on her hip.

Mal interrogated rhetorically, "Do I look like I'm kidding?"

When the girls kept on staring at her, she opened her spell book again. The girls and their friends took off.

Mal spun around to her friends. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow." She slammed her book shut. "Let's grab that wand and blow this Popsicle stand."

Evie, Jay, and Carlos looked at Mal and nodded in quiet understanding. They got up from the picnic table and walked fiercely back toward the school in their usual Isle of the Lost gang formation. Their focus was back. It was nearly coronation time—their big moment to steal the wand. The four were rotten to the core after all.

And Ben would forgive Mal—

Eventually.

* * *

The next day, Ben's coronation at the cathedral was a grand event like no other.

The cloudless blue sky smiled down upon limos snaking their way up to the entrance of the cathedral. The cathedral steps were lined with a royal-blue carpet, brimming with honored guests. Blue and gold flags rustled in the fair breeze.

A carriage drawn by two white horses rolled up in front of the cathedral. Ben and Mal sat in the back next to each other. Mal wore a radiant purple dress and had her hair up in a fancy bun, her hands gloveless. Ben wore a deep blue suit. Guests threw flower petals and confetti at them.

Inside the carriage, Mal tightly clutched the blue box that contained the antidote to the love potion. She stared at it in regret.

Ben took her hand. "Don't be nervous," he told her. "All you have to do is sit there and look beautiful." He smiled. "No problem there."

"Thank you." Mal muttered as she kept her gaze on the box in her lap.

With a small sigh, Ben removed his golden ring from his finger. "Here." He offered the jewelry to his beloved. "I want you to wear this. Maybe it will help you with your light as it did with my darkness."

"Don't you need it?"

"Not anymore." Ben insisted with a smile. "Because I have you."

"Um . . ." Mal pulled her hand out of his. "Maybe later. I think it would just fall right off me." She perked up slightly. "I have something for you." She handed him the beautiful blue container. "It's for later. You know, when you need strength . . . some carbs to keep up your strength."

"Always thinking," Ben complimented, opening the box. Inside was a miniature chocolate cupcake. "But I can't wait." He took a giant bite out of the treat, almost gobbling the whole thing on the first bite.

"No!" Mal shouted, reaching to stop him.

Ben finished off the 'dessert'. "Mmm, this is really good."

Mal gazed at him apprehensively. "Uh . . . do you feel okay?"

"You bet!" Ben licked the remaining chocolate off his fingers.

"Would you say that you're still in lo—" Mal stumbled over her words. "That you have very strong feelings for me?"

"Not sure," he commented casually. "Let's give the anti-love potion a few minutes to take effect."

"Okay." Mal nodded absentmindedly. Then she suddenly realized what Ben said and stared at him in disbelief. Ben laughed, making her laugh along with him. "You knew?" she wondered.

"That you spelled me?" He cracked a smile. "Yeah, I knew."

"I can explain—"

"It's fine. You had a crush on me. I was with Audrey at the time. You didn't trust that it could happen on its own since I was taking so long to ask you out." His smile grew. "Am I right?"

"Exactly. You are so right." Mal shook her head to hide her guilt. She gazed at him bashfully. "So long have you known?"

"The entire time," Ben claimed as his smile grew. "I knew the cookie was a love-potion, which is the real reason why I didn't want to eat it. The potion never worked. If it had, it would have washed off in the Enchanted Lake."

Mal was taken back by the revelation. "Why didn't it work?"

"It didn't work because I was already in love with you." Ben's smile faltered slightly. "I wanted to see how long it would take before you decided to remove it. I had a feeling you would wait until the coronation."

"So," Mal began as her heart started to ache, "you've been toying with my emotions . . ."

"Of course not," Ben denied whole-heartedly. "I meant every word."

He placed his ring on Mal's finger and kissed her hand adoringly. Staring deep into her eyes, Ben announced, "I love you."

Mal, once again, gaped at him. "I . . ."

"It's okay," he reassured. "I told you, I can wait for as long as it takes."

"I want to," she claimed in a hurry. "I really, _really_ do. I just . . . don't know how."

Ben smiled. "I can show you."

Leaning forward, he kissed Mal with all the cameras pointed at them. At that moment, she really didn't care if her mother was watching back on the Isle.

Mal wanted the kiss to last a lifetime, so she wouldn't have to betray him.

* * *

The carriage rolled up to a stop in front of the cathedral. Trumpets blared. Footmen opened the carriage door and helped Mal down from it. Ben took her hand. He and Mal walked up the cathedral stairs. Trumpets blared on either side of them as they approached Beast and Belle. The crowd roared.

Mal and Ben reached the top of the stairs. Mal bowed before Ben's parents.

"About the other day, I just—" Mal started to say to King Beast.

He raised his hand slightly so she'd stop. "I told Ben this wasn't going to be easy," stated King Beast.

"Yet you taught me that a king has to believe in himself," Ben insisted with a smile. "Even when it isn't easy."

"I did?" King Beast questioned. Queen Belle slapped his arm slightly. "I mean, how very wise of you."

Queen Belle took Ben's hands in hers. "Ben, we are very proud of you," she praised. "You keep listening to your heart."

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're going to make a fine king," King Beast acknowledged. He patted Ben on the arm.

The married couple walked off leaving the dating couple. Ben stepped closer to Mal and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Everything will be fine," he promised with a smile. "My darkness is in check, and so is your light."

An attendant offered his hand to Mal. She allowed herself to be led away and into the cathedral. It was time to begin the coronation.

Attendants opened the main doors to the cathedral for Ben. He began to walk down the long aisle. The audience bowed to him as he passed. A choir sang. Mal watched Ben from the front row. Ben moved down the aisle and smiled at his beloved. Mal smiled back only to hide her nervousness, though her light had yet to show. Maybe the ring really does work. . .

Ben approached the stage where Fairy Godmother, his parents, and the wand waited for him. Mal was so very close to the wand. She gulped and stared at Ben as Fairy Godmother lifted the crown from Beast's head and placed it on Ben's as he knelt. Her stomach lurched as she stared intently at the wand.

Mal's eyes began to glass over with tears. King Beast lifted the bell jar and Queen Belle handed the wand to Fairy Godmother.

Mal looked back at the wand. It shimmered beautifully. She stared at it, transfixed. Before the Fairy Godmother, Ben awaited the blessing with her wand.

The choir stopped singing.

Fairy Godmother held the wand out to Ben as if she were going to knight him. "Do you solemnly swear to govern the peoples of Auradon," began Fairy Godmother for all in the cathedral to hear, "with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?"

Mal could just picture her mother shouting for her to grab the wand. She was still unsure if she wanted to take it.

"I do solemnly swear," Ben promised.

Fairy Godmother lifted the wand. "Then it is my honor and my joy to bless our new king—"

The wand was snatched out of Fairy Godmother's hand. The audience gasped. The magic wand shook violently and shot off a wild display of sparks.

It bucked and sent a fierce bolt of lightning that cracked through one of the cathedral's stained-glass windows. The bolt sizzled through the air and exploded as it hit and broke the magic barrier of the Isle of the Lost.

Fairy Godmother was wide-eyed. "Child, what are you doing?" she cried.

Of course, Mal hadn't stolen the wand. She had been dealing with her inner-turmoil when the wand was taken. The person who brandished the wand was . . . _Jane?!_

Jane shouted, "If you won't make me beautiful, I'll do it myself!" She struggled to control the wand as its power rocked her viciously from side to side.

Everyone screamed as the wand swung left and then right. She spun frantically as the room watched in horror.

"Take cover!" Beast shouted to the terrified audience.

Beast shielded Belle, and Ben put an arm over Mal to protect her. The audience leaped back from the shower of sparks.

With a heavy heart, Mal ran up to Jane and pried the wand from her hands.

"Careful, Mal!" Queen Belle warned.

Mal wielded the wand like a sword. Jane scampered away from her and hid behind some people in the audience. Mal looked at her friends in the balcony, who quickly descended the stairs to be at her side.

Ben moved toward Mal cautiously. "Mal . . . give me the wand."

"Stand back," Mal ordered in a small voice.

"Mal, it's okay. I—"

"Ben," she snipped as a tear slipped down her cheek. She held the wand with a slight quiver. "_Please_, stand back."

Audrey stepped out from the fray. "I told you so!" she said to Ben.

Mal swung the wand toward her, and Audrey staggered backwards. The audience gasped and screamed, then fell quiet. Evie, Jay, and Carlos stepped behind Mal.

"Let's go!" Carlos demanded.

"_Revenge time._" Jay announced.

Ben turned his attention to Mal. "Do you really want to do this?"

"_We_ have no _choice_, Ben!" Mal shouted in distress. "_I _have no choice! My mother—"

"Your mother made her choice a long time ago," Ben reasoned. "Now, you make yours."

Mal gazed at the wand uncertainly. "I think I want to be good . . ."

"You _are_ good!"

"How do you know that!"

"Because . . ." Ben trailed off. "Because I'm listening to my heart. My heart says _all_ of you are good."

Mal lowered the wand ever so slightly. "I want to listen to my heart, too," she claimed. "And my heart is telling me that we are _not _our parents." Mal lowered the wand even more as she turned to face her friends. "These past few days in Auradon have been the _best_ days of my life, and I had _none_ of those when we lived on the Isle. When we first arrived in Auradon, I thought I was sick from being surrounded by so much light, but it turned out I just needed to adjust from not being around so much darkness. Now, I feel better than I've ever have."

She turned to Ben with a small smile. "Especially since I've found someone who makes me _really_ happy."

Mal twirled on her heals to face the other VKs. "Us being _friends_ makes me really happy. Not destroying things with darkness . . ." She thrusted her arm out as she balled her hand into a fist. "I choose good, you guys."

"I choose good, too," said Jay, joining her fist with his.

Evie put her fist next to Jay's. "I choose good," she announced, smiling.

Carlos took a deep breath. "So, just to be clear: we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be? Because they're gonna be really, really mad."

Mal, Evie, and Jay laughed.

"Your parents can't reach you here," Ben promised.

"Okay, then . . ." Carlos smiled and added his fist to the circle. "Good."

Mal laughed and nodded at Ben, beckoning him over to them. Ben put his hand in the mix, too. Mal leaned against him and smiled.

Right when everything seemed to be going well, the sound of a window shattering caused everyone to gasp. A green glowing orb floated down from the broken window and landed in front of Mal and her friends. In a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder, Maleficent appeared.

The audience froze as Maleficent straightened her stance.

"Another royal event," she mused, her eyes shining venomously, "in which I did not receive an invitation. . ."

Mal sighed. "Go away, Mother."

Maleficent raised a sinister eyebrow. "Aren't you grateful to see me, your mother?" She extended her hand that didn't hold her precious scepter. "Give me the wand." When Mal didn't move, Maleficent's eyes began to glow as she demanded, "_Now!_"

Instead, Mal threw the wand to Fairy Godmother, who caught it.

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi—" started Fairy Godmother.

"_Boo!" _With a fearsome wave of her scepter, she froze everyone except for Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay. Maleficent chuckled darkly. "So much for the all-powerful fairy . . ."

Maleficent took her time crossing over to Beast. She took off his glasses and tossed them aside in spite. She hummed maniacally as she walked over to Fairy Godmother, plucking the wand from the headmistress's hand. The wand sparked in protest.

"Where shall we begin?" she wondered. She pointed the wand at Mal. "I know. Why don't we start by getting rid of this . . ." She aimed the wand at the engagement ring on Mal's finger. The ring flew into Maleficent's hand. She walked over to Ben and knocked his crown askance. "Falling in love is weak . . . and _ridiculous_," she spat. She looked at her daughter. "It's not what you want."

"You don't know what I want!" Mal shouted. "Mom, have you ever once asked _me_ what I want?" Tears streamed down Mal's cheeks as her heart beat quickened. "I'm not you!"

Maleficent scoffed. "Obviously. I've had years of practice being evil. You'll get there, eventually."

"No, I will not!" Mal argued. "And I really wish that you had never gotten there yourself." She gazed at her mother and felt sorry for her. "Love is not weak or ridiculous. It's actually really amazing." She smiled through her tears.

"Love does not last," Maleficent warned. "As I'm sure you know from my experience."

Choosing to ignore the jibe, Mal extended her hand. "_And now I command, wand to my hand!_" she yelled. With no hesitation, the wand flew into her hand. "It worked!" Mal cheered.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos exchanged looks.

"I hardly think so," Maleficent told her daughter. "This is your final warning. Give me the _wand_!"

"Hold on, Mal," insisted Carlos. "Maybe good really is more powerful than evil."

"Enough!" Maleficent boomed. "You will regret this!" She began to expand and change shape into a huge dark purple dragon. Maleficent the dragon soared above them. They gasped as she roared and swiveled her scaly head, getting Jay in her sights. She hovered, ready to strike.

"Jay!" cried Mal.

Jay sprinted away from the dragon.

"Jay, run!" called Evie.

Mal watched in horror as the dragon flew the length of the aisle, overtaking Jay quickly. As Maleficent swooped down on him, talons gleaming, Evie stepped between them and reflected a beam of sunlight with her mirror. It blinded the dragon, who came skidding to a sudden stop.

Mal leaped between them and her mother, holding out the wand. "Leave my friends alone!" she ordered. "This is between you and me, Mother!"

The dragon slowly bent her head down until it was level with Mal. Mal was dwarfed by the monster. The dragon cackled—an echoing reminder that Maleficent was still in there. The dragon met Mal's eyes, assured of victory.

Mal didn't blink. Her eyes flashed green. In the reflection of the dragon's eyes, Mal stood fearless, beautiful, and strong. She incanted confidently, "_The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before four hearts as one._" Mal said it again, louder. "_The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before four hearts as one._" Mal repeated the words a final time, with even more force: "_The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before four hearts as one!_" Before, Mal had always lost the stare-downs she'd had with her mother. But in that moment, the dragon blinked.

There was a flash of smoke, and the dragon was gone.

Mal gasped. She, Evie, Jay, and Carlos looked at one another and smiled.

"What just happened?" asked Carlos.

"I have no idea," said Mal, racing down the aisle.

Her friends followed her.

"Did you do it?" wondered Evie.

"I don't know!" said Mal, stopping short.

Fairy Godmother magically unfroze and ran to meet them in the aisle.

"No, no, no," denied Fairy Godmother, who stood looking at them with warmth and pride. "Your mother did," she said gently to Mal. "She shrank to the size of the love in her heart. That's why it's so . . . itty-bitty." She gazed down at their feet.

Where there had once been a dragon, there now was a tiny lizard. Mal questioned, "Is she going to be like that forever?"

"Forever is a long time. You learned how to love. So can she."

Mal smiled. She held the wand out to Fairy Godmother. "I believe this belongs to you."

Fairy Godmother took the wand and picked up the ring from the ground. "And I believe _this_ belongs to you." She held it out to Mal.

Mal grinned and put on the ring.

Fairy Godmother looked at Mal's friends. "You all have earned yourselves an A in Goodness class."

Mal and her friends laughed. Evie gave Mal a high five.

Fairy Godmother aimed her wand at Ben, Beast, and Belle. "Bibbidi-Bobbodi-Boo!" she chanted.

Ben charged forward, but Mal managed to stop him. "It's okay!" She smiled. "We kind of all got this wrapped up here."

Ben looked around, confused, and then swept Mal into a hug. Mal squealed. "Next time, I rescue you, okay?" he said.

"Yeah. Let's not have there be a next time, okay?" Mal gave him a hug, then straightened his crown on his head as she kissed him. She giggled and stated, "I will be right back."

Mal walked over to Fairy Godmother, who was in the middle of lecturing Jane.

"I love you," Fairy Godmother began, pointing the wand at Jane, "but you are on a _major_ time-out."

"Don't be too hard on Jane," Mal intervened, putting a hand on Fairy Godmother's shoulder. "I was the one who put all that crazy stuff in her head." She locked eyes with a humiliated Jane. "_You_ are beautiful, inside and out. Your mom got that right."

Jane smiled. "I guess I did get pretty lucky in the mother department."

Mal laughed. "Yeah! I guess so."

Fairy Godmother took Jane's hand and led her away.

Mal locked eyes with Audrey. Mal smiled and curtsied. Audrey did the same, only out of respect. It would take some time before the animosity between the two would finally settle.

An attendant clamped the bell jar over the lizard in the aisle. Mal leaped toward them. "Hey! Careful!" she chided. "That's my mom!"

The audience laughed, and the attendant bowed and walked away. Mal, Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos with Dude huddled together. "Let's get this party started!" cheered Jay.

The friends all whooped and cheered. They were ready for the coronation celebration.

* * *

That evening, outside the school, the whole student body set it off and partied.

Ben twirled Mal. Evie danced fiercely with Doug. Jay and Carlos danced with Jane. Then Jay danced with Audrey. Fireworks exploded in the sky above the school. Chad jived. Lonnie boogied. It was a hip-hop fairy-tale rave.

The lights flashed. The music blasted.

Mal gazed into Ben's eyes. The sky was lit up with sparklers behind him. She touched her nose to his. Mal couldn't help smiling. She never would have thought, in her wildest dreams, that her story would have a happy ending. Or that she would find someone who had the darkness to cover her light.

But her story was far from over.


	11. Return to the Isle: Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter of retelling the book 'Return to the Isle of the Lost'.**

**It will **_**NOT**_** cover the entire book as it will take too long. I will summarize what I need to before the events that I'm retelling. This applies for **_**ALL**_** future books. 'Escape the Isle of the Lost' will most likely be the book that has the most events retold.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

This story begins just a few weeks after Ben's coronation, which inducted him as the King of Auradon.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos were enjoying their time in the kingdom of Auradon. Every day they find something that makes them grateful for no longer living on the Isle. One day, each of them received a message that read: _Run back to where you came from! Return to the Isle of the Lost by moon's end!_

With a little investigation, Carlos discovered that a meeting was being held at Evil Queen's castle for a new villainous group called the Anti-Heroes.

The four VKs planned to flee to the Isle during the big Castlecoming dance, which would take place after their big Tourney game. Carlos would drive the limousine—since Jay couldn't really drive—Evie would make replicas of Lonnie's and Audrey's dresses, and Mal would use a spell from her book to make herself look like Audrey and Evie look like Lonnie from a distance. This way, no suspicion would be casted on the four VKs.

They had only traveled a few feet in the limousine and hadn't even left the school grounds when a flood of light covered the darkened driveway, and the vehicle had to stop in its tracks. Mal squinted against the light to try to see who was blocking their way.

"It's the royal carriage!" Evie exclaimed. "Ben must be back!"

"What do we do now?" Carlos wondered nervously. "I can't go around it, it's too big."

The royal carriage was an imposing behemoth, resembling not so much a pumpkin as a giant squash on wheels. A footman opened the door and Ben stepped out, shaded his eyes against the light, and peered into the limousine.

Carlos switched off the ignition, resigned. "Oh, well, looks like we're not going anywhere now," he claimed, trying to sound disappointed, and failing.

"Mal?" Ben called. "Mal, is that you?"

Jay turned in his seat to look at Mal. "How does he know it's you? Did the spell stop working?"

Mal sighed. "I'll handle him." She stepped out of the car to meet Ben.

"Mal?" Ben asked again when he saw her. "Please tell me it's you and not Audrey."

"Uh, yeah, it's me, Mal," she said, feeling shy and a bit silly at the whole getup and embarrassed that they'd been caught sneaking out of Auradon. After all their careful planning, this was a bit anticlimactic. "How did you know it was me?"

Ben stepped forward to take a hold of Mal's hand. "Your light," he muttered so no one could hear. "I could sense it was you. Your nervous about something and your light decided to make an appearance."

Gazing down at her hand, Mal groaned in frustration when she noticed that her hand had been covered in a small veil of light, which was quickly diminishing because of Ben's darkness.

After the light was completely gone, Ben began his interrogation. "What's going on? Why are you wearing a dress that could be Audrey's? It's so pink and blue, and not you. And is that the royal limousine?"

The windows rolled down, and the rest of the group waved cheerfully at Ben. Ben waved back; a bit confused. "Why does Evie look like Lonnie and why is Carlos driving? Does he even have a license?"

"I can explain," Mal promised. She quickly told him about the mysterious messages they'd received, the Anti-Heroes thread on the Dark Net, and the missing villains, who just happened to be Evie, Jay, and Carlos's parents.

Ben listened carefully, rocking back and forth on his heels, taking it all in. "So, now you're all headed back on to the Isle of the Lost?"

Mal nodded. "We have to, we have to see what's going on."

"I see." He wasn't frowning, which was a good sign, but he wasn't smiling either. "And you weren't going to tell me; why?"

"We didn't want to get you in trouble—with your subjects, I mean," Mal insisted. "Everyone's a little nervous ever since the Coronation, and we didn't think it would look good for you, if you knew we were going back to the Isle of the Lost, especially with the embargo and all."

"Hmm," Ben hummed. "Okay."

"Okay?" Mal blinked in surprise. "You're not mad?"

"No, why should I be? You're not doing anything wrong . . . well, except maybe Jay shouldn't have tricked Jordan out of the keys, you and Evie shouldn't be pretending to be Audrey and Lonnie, and Carlos shouldn't be driving without a license," he listed off mildly, but he had a hint of a smile on his face.

"But you're not going to stop us?" Mal clarified.

"No. You guys should definitely check out what's happening back there. I don't know if I would have agreed to it if you 'd asked me beforehand, but now that I do know about it, I think it's the right thing to do," he explained. "Have Carlos send me a link to the Dark Net, and I'll keep an eye on this Anti-Heroes thread in case it looks like you might need backup."

"Definitely. And we'll be back in time for class on Monday," she informed. "We just wanted to check it out. Although if something is going down, we might be delayed longer. But I don't want you to worry."

"I won't. I know you can watch out for yourself." Ben squeezed her hand tighter in reassurance. "I am glad I caught you, though. I wanted to tell you, strange things are happening, and not just on the Isle of the Lost. In Auradon too."

"You mean like the earthquakes?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Not just the earthquakes, but lately there have been unseasonal hurricanes down by the Bayou, and giant sandstorms in Auradon too."

"What do they think is causing it?"

"We don't know yet. But that's not all." He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to tell.

"What is it?" Mal interrogated. "Where were you, by the way? What's wrong?" His somber expression was making her feel so anxious that her light started appearing again.

After dispelling her light again, Ben answered, "Camelot Heights. It's why I took the carriage; their roads are hard on cars over there. Merlin came to the council with Artie, Arthur's son, on Monday to ask for help with a strange creature that was attacking their town."

"What kind of creature?" Mal asked, dreading the answer already. "What kind of attacks?"

Ben held her gaze. "One that was burning forests, stealing livestock, and scorching farms. A real menace. Everyone's really scared. All of Camelot Heights is under lock-down right now."

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Mal, it was a purple dragon." He told her about how he had set up camp with Camelot's knights on the edge of the forest and waited for days for the creature to appear. "Artie was on watch that night and woke us all up. It came out of nowhere, but I saw it before it vanished. A huge purple dragon, with bright green eyes."

"What? No. You can't think . . ." Mal trailed off, her heart racing. This was madness. There was only one purple dragon in the world. Maleficent.

"I saw it," he confirmed. "It looked just like her . . . I'll never forget how she looked during the Coronation. Her face was right in front of mine and she was going to roast me alive, until you stopped her. However, there was something different about her darkness this time. It didn't feel like hers, so I don't think it is her."

Mal slowly nodded her in understanding. "Yet, you can't tell anyone that because no one knows about your darkness, which is how you can differentiate between other people's darkness."

Mal crossed her arms stubbornly and kept shaking her head. "Still, it can't be my mother. I just saw her this morning. She's trapped under glass on her pedestal. Tiny. Helpless. And you know as well as I do that her Dragon's Eye scepter is safely locked away in the museum. She's powerless and can't wield any magic without it."

"I know." Ben conferred with a small nod. "But to keep the public at ease if the news gets out, I'm going to place more guards in the library, and keep cameras on her 24/7. If she _is_ the culprit, then we'll find out how she's getting out."

"I'm sorry I can't stay here to help you," Mal apologized, upset to hear this new information.

Ben smiled. "As much as I'd prefer that, I think it would be the wrong move. I'm going to stay here in Auradon to see if we can track the dragon down before it does more damage. We're keeping it off the news; I don't want to cause a panic. You guys go find out what's going on in the Isle of the Lost. Maybe this is all part of a bigger scheme. Let me know what you find, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it."

"I will." The couple embrace one another in a tight hug. Resting her head on his shoulder, Mal muttered, "Thank you, Ben."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No," she mumbled. "I think we're good."

Ben tightened their hug for a moment before helping her into the car. The windows were still open and the four villain kids waved goodbye, nervous and helpful expressions on their faces.

"Good luck," Ben told them. "And good game, by the way. Nice work. I caught the highlights on _TourneyCenter_," he complimented Jay and Carlos.

"Thanks, man," Carlos called from the driver's seat while Jay bumped fists with Ben through the passenger window.

Ben reached for Mal's hand through her window. "I'll see you Monday," he promised, before reluctantly letting go. He motioned to the carriage driver to get out of the way so the limousine could pass and the leave the school gates.

"Monday," she echoed as the car pulled away. Then something occurred to her. "Ben!" she called.

Walking back to his beloved, he raised his eyebrows in inquiry. "Yes?"

"If you do catch the purple dragon . . ." She hesitated, even if she knew Ben of all people would understand. "Don't hurt it, okay?"

Ben kissed her forehead to appease her nervousness. "You have my word."


	12. Return to the Isle: Chapter 2

After the talk with Ben, the four traveled in the comforts of the limousine, only to have crashed. The vehicle became undriveable and they accidentally lost the barrier remote. After changing out of their fancy garbs into their usual 'preppy punk' outfits, the four separated to return to their respective homes.

When it came closer to midnight, the four rendezvoused just a few minutes before midnight at the Evil Queen's castle. They followed some of their old classmates through the dungeons of the castle and ended up in a dark room with the doors shutting behind them.

When they turned on the lights, they discovered the room had been decorated for a celebration and Professor Yen Sid had been the one to create the Anti-Heroes club.

When she had been a student at Dragon Hall, Mal had never taken one of Yen Sid's classes. Luckily, she had been prepared for his lighthearted demeanor when he taught her the legends of the Keyblade wielders.

"First of all, how did you know we would be here?" She interrogated.

"Well, once you received our messages, of course we began to prepare for you arrival," Yen Sid answered in his slow drawl.

"That was you!" Carlos exclaimed.

"Of course it was. We couldn't sign them without giving ourselves away—too many bad eggs around, you know, one can never be too careful—but we hoped you would figure it out, and you did," the professor explained. "I'm very proud of you."

"But how were you able to reach us?" Jay wondered.

"Freddie!" Mal shouted, referring to the eldest daughter of Dr. Facilier. "She was the messenger, wasn't she? Because she just transferred over from the island, and so she knew how to use the Dark Net, and how best to get in touch with us."

"You are correct," Yen Sid confirmed.

"What do you mean?" Carlos asked.

"I saw her at the library one night, I had a feeling she was following me. Plus, she's the only villain kid in Auradon who didn't get a message to return home," Mal explained. "And she must have known I'd only take it seriously if it sounded as if mine was from my mother, which is why she wrote 'M'."

"But you still haven't told us what this group is all about." Evie pointed out.

The old sorcerer removed his hat and scratched his bald plate. "Before I explain further, let's clean up," he decided. "The club knows there are different rules here, about keeping things orderly and neat. Slovenliness is a hard habit to break, but they're trying."

"Here, let me," Mal offered, gathering the plates while Evie grabbed the cups and the boys wiped their table down with napkins.

Mal tossed the plates into the trash, and looked up to see a group of younger kids staring at her with a worshipful look on their faces. Soon an admiring crowd had gathered around her, and Mal noticed similar groups were forming around Evie, Carlos, and Jay as well.

For a moment, Mal believed they were all excited and impressed because she was the baddest in the land, but it soon became clear that it was just the opposite. All they wanted to talk about was how good she'd become. Mal couldn't get over how wrong she and the other villain kids had been about the club.

The group members took turns explaining that the club was formed right after Mal defeated Maleficent. The island's misfits, many of whom had already failed Lady Tremaine's Evil Schemes class and sometimes surreptitiously helped hobbled goblins across the street rather than kicking them to the curb, realized that they were drawn to goodness rather than evil.

In a way, Carlos had been right, the Anti-Heroes movement _was_ a radical group, especially since it was devoted to unraveling every tenet of the island's dearly held wicked values. Mal's actions on Auradon had sparked a revolution, one in which the new generation of villains on the Isle of the Lost were eager to follow in her footsteps. Mal had expected to find a group devoted to hating heroes, not to be the center of hero worship. It took a while to believe that they were sincere, but eventually Mal was convinced.

Eventually, Yen Sid stepped up to the blackboard. "Welcome to the meeting of the Anti-Heroes," he began. "We are now formally in session."

Carlos meekly raised his hand. "Can I ask why you're called Anti-Heroes?"

"Don't you know?" The professor's eyes began to twinkle. "Think about it."

Mal scrunched her forehead, and reflected on what she had just learned from the excited group of so-called villains. "It's called Anti-Heroes because you're hiding in plain sight."

Yen Sid smiled broadly. "It is the only way to hide."

To anyone who stumbled on the Anti-Heroes thread on the Dark Net, it looked as if the club despised the foursome, but of course the photos of the four of them were simply recruitment tools, subtly telling members-in-the-know that this was the place to be if they wanted to be like Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. Mal shared her epiphany with the group, and heads happily nodded around the class.

"That is part of it, of course, but there is another reason we are called Anti-Heroes," Yen Sid insisted. "What most people don't know is that _anti-hero_ is another word for villain—or let me put it this way, an anti-hero is the villain that you root for in the story. An anti-hero is a hero who isn't perfect. An anti-hero doesn't ride up in a white horse or have shining gold hair and wonderful manners. In fact, an anti-hero doesn't look like the typical hero of a story at all. Anti-heroes can be crude and ugly and selfish, but they are heroes, nonetheless. As flawed as an anti-hero is, they're still trying to do the right thing. You are all anti-heroes and I'm proud of you." He beamed at them, and the group clapped and cheered.

"So, just to confirm, this is a secret club to teach villains—sorry, _anti-heroes_—how to be good?" Carlos wondered.

Mal remembered how earlier in the day Ginny Gothel, the daughter of Mother Gothel, had said "they" were right about Mal, and "there was no hope for anyone"—she must have meant there was little hope for evil anymore, if even Maleficent's daughter had chosen to be good.

Mal frowned. "Hold on, Professor. If this club is devoted to learning how to be good, am I right in assuming Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil, and Jafar have nothing to do with it either?"

"With the Anti-Heroes? No, of course not, they're villains, through and through, I'm afraid," the professor denied with a soft sigh. "But speaking of the villains, it is very fortunate you understood our message to return to the island, as we desperately need your help in locating and outwitting them."

* * *

According to Yen Sid, when the dome around the Isle was created, a new generation of talismans—the items of the villains that granted them power from Evil itself—came into creation. The influx of magic that was pushed away by the dome escaped underground, where it grew and developed into a system of tunnels, the Endless Catacombs of Doom.

Apparently, every talisman proceeded to create its own magical land in the Catacombs in which it can be found. If the seeker accomplishes the challenge, the talisman relinquishes itself. The Fruit of Venom, the Golden Cobra, the Ring of Envy, and the Dragon's Egg are the four most dangerous talismans. When used together, these four talismans of evil can overcome the power of good once and for all.

Somehow, Mal still appeared as calm as ever. "At least now we know that's where the villains are, underground, in the Catacombs, looking for the power that they lost."

"Yes," said Yen Sid. "The four of you must find these talismans and destroy them before your parents can use them against Auradon. I'm afraid you're the only ones who will be able to outsmart them. After all, no one knows them better than you. Mal, even if Maleficent is in no shape to retrieve the Dragon's Egg, it's still imperative that you recover it before anyone else does."

"Great." Jay commented as he got up from his seat. "Let's go."

"First we must show you what we are working on." Yen Sid nodded to the assembled group, who sat at attention, pulling out detailed maps and charts. "We think we are close to getting an accurate map of the underground tunnels. Tonight, I will need everyone's help to discover the exact location of the entrance to the Catacombs." He sighed to relieve his stress. "We don't have much time left, so you and the rest of the Anti-Heroes will need to scour the island until you find it."

He began to give the members their assignments, sending them to every part of the island, from Henchman's Knob to the Blown Bridge.

"Shall we go with them?" Jay asked impatiently as the Anti-Heroes started to trickle out to search.

"Yes, but please remain where you are for now. Before I need you four on this journey, I have a few words of advice to give each one of you. Acquiring these talismans will be very dangerous. Evil is seductive; you will have to remain strong and not fall prey to its temptations."

He stood in front of Carlos first and placed a hand on his head. "Carlos de Vil, you possess a keen intellect; however, do not let your head rule your heart. Learn to see what is truly in front of you."

Evie was next, and Yen Sid did the same, resting a hand above her dark blue locks. "Evie, remember that when you believe you are alone in the world, you are far from friendless."

Jay bowed down and removed his beanie so the good professor could lay his hand on his head too. "Jay of Agrabah, a boy of many talents, open your eyes and discover that the riches of the world are all around you."

At last he came to Mal. Yen Sid delicately touched her purple head. "Mal, daughter of Maleficent, you are from the blood of the dragon and carry its strength and fire. However, this burden is not yours to bear alone. Rely on your friends, and let their strength carry yours as well. Your friends are your power."

Mal narrowed her eyes as they changed to their light green hues. "I am _nothing_ like him."

"You have more in common with him than you think," Yen Sid insisted calmly. "Could you have defeated your mother alone? The chant you used is proof that you couldn't."

"I am _not_ SORA!" Mal shouted in defiance. The children in the room tensed at the name of the famous Keyblade wielder that foiled almost all of their parents' plans; they were forbidden to ever say his name. "The second he lost his friends in that pathetic war, he gave up! He only watched as his friends were swept away by that Heartless cyclone."

Mal sighed to get rid of her frustration. "I'm going for a walk. Have somebody let me know what I need to do."

As Mal began to walk to the exit, Professor Yen Sid called out, "What you would you have done, if you were him?"

Mal stopped in her tracks, but her back was still to the group as she announced, "I would have fought until the last of my light went out."

Yen Sid chuckled. "Then perhaps . . . you are more like Riku."

Mal clenched her fist at the comment. Instead of speaking, she continued on her path.

While Yen Sid went back to going over the possible locations for the entrance to the Catacombs with Jay and Carlos and the rest of the club members waited patiently for their assignments, Evie watched Mal walk down the dark hallway. A little ways in front of her, Evie caught a glimpse of bright aqua-colored hair swishing in the corridor.

At first, Evie thought Maddy—grand-daughter of Madam Mim—wanted to talk to Mal privately, which is why Mal caused such a scene, but when the two of them didn't return after a few minutes, Evie had a darker feeling about it. She peeked into the corridor and saw Maddy heading out of the basement and up the cellar stairs, with Mal following behind. Where were they going?

Evie decided to follow them to see what they were up to. She looked behind her to make sure the boys were still talking to Yen Sid. She wasn't spying on Mal; she was just being careful, she told herself. Mal had to have a good reason for going off with Maddy, didn't she?

Maddy was out of the basement now and heading down the path away from the castle. Mal was following behind at some distance. They weren't walking together, Evie realized. Mal was following Maddy, for some reason. But why? Who cared about Maddy?

Evie lagged behind, trying to put some space between them, when Maddy stopped suddenly and looked around. Mal ducked behind a tree and Evie quickly hid in the shadows as well. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she was glad she hadn't let her friend go off alone like this.

The two girls kept walking farther and farther away. Evie followed behind.


	13. Return to the Isle: Chapter 3

**This chapter has a special guest.**

**You have only met her one time.**

* * *

Eventually, the boys met up with Evie, who explained the weird scenario with Mad Maddy and Mal. After somehow getting lost in their home turfs, the trio found themselves at Rickety Bridge, where a group of villain kids had emerged from the shadows and quickly surrounded Mal and Maddy. It was a motley group, including Anthony Tremaine, Ginny Gothel, and the burly twin brothers Gaston and Gaston.

"Evie was right," Carlos whispered, "this doesn't look good."

"Shhh!" Jay shushed, listening intently to the group's conversation.

Anthony Tremaine's rich baritone boomed through the air. "Look what we have here, the little heroine of the story."

"What story would that be?" Mal wondered sarcastically.

"Oh, just a little fairy tale they're spinning in Auradon about how wonderful it is that villains can change." He smirked. "What a shame we don't believe in fairy tales here."

"That's not true, there are people right on the Isle of the Lost that believe it too." Mal argued. "Maddy, what's going on? Why are they here?"

"Tell her, Maddy," cackled Ginny Gothel. "Tell her why you brought her here."

Back where they were hiding, Carlos stood on his tip-toes since the large silhouettes of the Gastons blocked his view. "What's going on?" he asked. "Maybe we should go down there now."

"Not yet!" Evie denied. "I want to hear what Maddy says."

Maddy crossed her arms and looked Mal up and down. "Remember how I told you there were bad eggs in the group? Looks like you just cracked one, Mal." She laughed. "Except, I'm not the one who's going to get scrambled tonight. Especially now that we know you don't have any powers after all."

Evie winced.

"What?" cried Carlos. "Are they hurting her?"

"Only with bad puns."

"I knew it! That message was fake! You were just pretending to be good all along." Mal's voice was clear and calm in the dark.

"Good guess, but then why are you here?" sneered Maddy.

"I had to find out for sure," Mal claimed in a small voice. "I thought . . . maybe I still had a friend on the island."

"Friend? Is that what you thought I was? You cut off the heads of my dolls! You put lye in my hair so I had to change its color! You didn't like that everyone called us twins! Some friend you are! You're more delusional than your mother!" Maddy shrieked.

"Ouch." Evie winced again. "Did Mal really do all those things?"

"Um, yeah," Carlos answered. "I mean, she is Maleficent's kid. She was pretty mean growing up."

"And you were telling that goblin back there to fetch the rest of your crew down here so they could ambush me," Mal deduced.

"Exactly."

The villains crowded around Mal, so that she was pressed against the railing at the edge of the bridge.

"Okay, let's get her now," Evie decided. They ran out of their hiding place and headed toward the bridge, Jay in the lead.

"Okay, fine! I was a little brat! I'm sorry, okay?"

"Only suckers are sorry," Maddy spat. "And Anti-Heroes are the biggest suckers of all!"

"Don't you get it?" Ginny Gothel questioned. "The professor's wrong! There's no hope for us and we don't want any! We're villains at heart! True villains! Not like you!" She raised her fist to the sky. "Evil lives!"

"Evil lives," echoed the Gastons, slapping their fists to their palms.

"When the rest of this pathetic little island discovers their hero was fed to the crocodiles, what do you think will happen to that silly little club?" Maddy's smile turned crazy. "Everyone will realize that there's no hope in trying to be good! Evil always triumphs! Anti-hero is just another name for villain, and we'll be villains forever."

"You don't have to do this," Mal insisted. She'd had to climb on the railing to get away from them, and Ginny was still blocking her way. "It won't prove anything. Maddy, you're not going to get your old hair back, but maybe I can help you fix it, I'm pretty good at spells now."

"Shut up. I don't have to do this. I want to!" she shrieked, and the rest of the group joined in her laughter. "Ginny, why don't you do the honors," she offered.

"Let's do it together," Ginny suggested.

With matching grins, the two of them pushed Mal off the railing and into the bay. Maddy leaned over the edge. "You were right! You are nothing like those Keyblade wielders. Tell the crocodiles dinner is served!"

"Jay! Carlos! Hurry!" Evie cried. "Mal can't swim!"

* * *

When Mal had fallen off the railing, she whistled a pitch that was familiar to Jay. They used it when Jay had recon ahead during the mission to retrieve Maleficent's scepter from the Isle of the Doom.

None of them knew why Mal decided to do such an unusual thing when she was falling to her intimate death. Once she had finally hit the water, they heard an inhuman growl, howl, shriek from the distance. In the next second, an ink-like blob Heartless was moving to the center of the group and emerged from the ground with a massive roar.

Jay gasped. "It's a Dark Thorn!"

The Dark Thorn is a massive creature with black skin, but this one was white for some reason. Its entire body was wrapped in teal thorns, possibly a reference to the Beast's rose—for the Heartless was created in the Beast's Castle. Both of its wrists and ankles had manacles on them, while the chains on its arms were broken, but the chain connecting its feet weren't. The Dark Thorn has a heart-shaped hole in its chest. The Heartless has a large, red, toothy maw and beady, glowing yellow eyes.

While it is muscular and has large hands and feet, its limbs were rather thin. Each of its limbs sports three digits with long, red claws. The Dark Thorn's two enormous horns and massive mane were supposed to be orange, but this one was a mixture of purple and green, kind of like Mal's clothing.

This strange version of a Dark Thorn roared viciously at those that ganged up Mal, while it seemingly ignored her friends. Ginny Gothel ran off first, mainly because she remembered the horrifying stories her mother told when she briefly turned into a Heartless. Anthony fled next since he knew they were outmatched. Seeing the others leave, the Gaston twins retreated as well. The only one left was Mad Maddy.

Maddy tossed her bright blue-green hair and sneered, her eyes wide with maniacal fury. "You think you've won, but I promise you, all of Auradon will burn, just like Camelot!" she said, cackling like a hag as she disappeared into the night.

Before any of the trio could think of what to do, the Dark Thorn dived into the water, ignoring the dangers of the surrounding crocodiles. Mal disappeared under the water, but the Heartless was quickly by her side. Mal had a hold of its horn as it swam its way back to shore, dodging the crocodiles for Mal's safety. It single-handedly hauled Mal back safely on land.

"Ugh!" Mal complained. "This leather is going to shrink!"

Mal wringed her jacket out and tried to dry her hair. Mal being Mal, she didn't want to show how shaken she was, so she focused on mourning her ruined jacket instead. "I must look like a horrible dock rat," she said with a laugh.

When they didn't laugh with her, Mal gazed up at them with a curious tilt of her head. "What's wrong?"

The trio gestured to behind her. When Mal turned her head, she saw the Dark Thorn had laid protectively a foot away, though ready to strike any enemy that threatened them. Mal surprised her friends when she smiled and rubbed the Dark Thorn's head affectionately without any hesitation.

"I knew you would help me," she said as her smile grew. "Would you mind turning into a smaller Heartless? I think you're scaring them."

In the blink of an eye, the Dark Thorn transformed into a mere Shadow, though its body was white with purple and green markings. The Shadow casually slunk forward, climbing into Mal's lap like it was her pet.

"Guys," Mal began as she rubbed the Shadow's head soothingly. "This is the Heartless we met all those months ago. Obviously, she learned to turn into other Heartless while we were away."

"_How_?" Carlos interrogated incredulously. "Did your darkness do that?"

"Yes," Mal fibbed. "Since she came to us when I had whistled last time, I thought she would this time. I need to give her a proper name since she can change into other Heartless." Mal pondered on a few ideas before she perked up. "I got it! Halo!"

Somehow, the Heartless purred at the name, almost like she was saying she approved.

* * *

When Mal had went under for the brief second, she saw an underwater entrance to the Catacombs. The five of them returned to the meeting area to relay their information, though all the members shied away from Halo. Even if Mal claimed she was harmless, _nobody_ wanted to take a chance.

The anti-heroes were a hardworking bunch, and by noon had combed the entire beachhead, but hadn't been able to find anything. Mal was nearly ready to give up on the search for the tunnel's entrance. After all, she had basically been drowning when she saw the underwater entrance—maybe she'd hallucinated it.

But then, at the very edge of Doom Cove, in a rocky outcropping by the water's edge, Carlos had found a small hole in the ground about the size of a rabbit burrow.

"That can't be it. How would we fit in there?" Evie wondered doubtfully. "And if it's not big enough for us, it's _definitely_ not big enough for a crocodile."

"We dig?" Jay suggested, who began to shovel away dirt with his hands. "This is the only thing we've seen in hours. We've got to try it." Carlos knelt down to help, and together they were able to make the hole big enough to squeeze through.

Mal knew they didn't need to worry about more crocodiles bothering them now—earlier, she sent one of the members to throw a bucket of rotten meat in the water on the other side of the island to draw them away. But as she looked down at the small, dark tunnel ahead, Mal wondered if they had just traded one problem for another. Still, Jay was right. They had to give it a shot.

"Thanks, you guys," Mal called to the assembled team. "I think we've found the entrance. We're going in!"

The sweaty group of anti-heroes cheered.

With a small smile, Mal knelt to the ground speak to Halo properly. "Go," she instructed the Heartless. "Hide in the woods like you did before. If I need you again, you will know." On instinct, she kissed the creature's forehead. "Thank you, for everything."

Halo purred again before she ran off into the forest, leaving Mal wondering when she'll see her again.


	14. Return to the Isle: Chapter 4

**I am watching Descendants while typing this chapter, and I am so hoping they washed Maleficent's scepter before Sarah Jeffrey had to use it in her scenes since Kristen Chenoweth licked it in her musical number.**

**With that random thought in your mind, enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

After the trio went through their challenges to retrieve their talismans, Mal was more than ready for her turn. The four of them arrived at place where a dark, foreboding mountain loomed in the distance. Lightning crackled in the sky and vultures circled above.

"Maleficent Mountain," Mal announced when the rest of the team arrived. "Over there." According to the map, Doom Crag lay at the very top of the mountain, where a dragon had made its nest.

"Ouch," Jay winced, "that looks like a climb."

"You guys know the drill." Mal turned to face her friends. "Only I have to go."

"No." Carlos argued. "We'll all go. Remember what the professor said? You don't have to do this alone."

"But this is my talisman," Mal retorted. "And all of you had to get yours alone."

"We're going with you," Evie insisted. "At least until the talisman stops us. No arguments."

"You're not getting rid of us," Jay claimed. "That's how this whole 'having friends' thing works, remember?"

"Fine," Mal spat. "Let's go, then."

* * *

They trudged through the dead land, air thick with smoke. Sizzling green slime bubbled through cracks in the dirt, and they helped each other over the acrid puddles. Mal soldiered on as Evie groaned and complained that her head still hurt from the poison apple she ate, and Jay was subdued, probably thinking of the riches he'd rejected. Carlos was definitely still shell-shocked from seeing his mother; real or not, that woman was terrifying.

Mal began to climb the mountain, reaching for a foothold and pulling herself up.

But when Jay put a hand on the mountainside, it didn't push him away, and it didn't reject Carlos or Evie either. When Mal looked down, she was slightly disappointed to find they were climbing right behind her.

_Is it because the talisman thinks I'm weak? _She wondered

When they reached the top of Doom Crag, they discovered the dragon's nest was the size of a small boat. Its burned and blackened branches were twisted and packed tightly, and there was no sign of an egg anywhere. Mal began to search, getting down on her knees, and the rest of the team did the same, combing through every inch of the foul space.

Mal huffed in frustration. "It's not here."

"It has to be," Evie argued.

"Maybe they got here before us and found it. Cruella, Jafar, and Evil Queen, I mean," Jay suggested. "They are supposed to be wandering around down here in the Catacombs, right?"

"Maybe that's why we were all able to climb the mountain," Mal deduced. She's scratched her palm on the way up, and she pinched it, trying to stop the blood. "Because the talisman's gone."

"No!" Carlos shouted. "It has to be here. If they'd found it, this mountain wouldn't be here. Remember what happened in the other places? They started to disintegrate once we recovered the talismans. Keep looking."

Mal searched again, but bumped into Evie, who fell back on Carlos, who tripped over Jay. "There's not enough space for all of us," Mal complained. "You guys need to leave. You're not helping. Maybe it won't show itself to me because you're all here."

"Are you sure?" Evie wondered.

"I'm sure."

"Fine," said Jay. "If she doesn't want us here, we don't need to be here. And this place gives me the creeps."

"But the professor said . . ." Carlos trailed off.

"He's not here now, is he?" Mal barked stubbornly. "He's not the one who had to climb this mountain and look for this egg. Get out of here!"

Carlos, Evie, and Jay exchanged looks with each other. Mal glared at them until, one by one, they climbed out of the nest. Jay, being the last to leave, hesitated.

With a sigh, he commented, "I know you are only doing this to prove the professor wrong. According to our history lessons in Auradon, that wielder was consumed by darkness because he pushed his friends away, just like you're doing."

"Don't believe everything the Auradonians tell you," Mal retorted defensively. "Now _GO_!"

Wordlessly, the trio began to make their way down the mountain to avoid her anger. When the last of them were out of her view and she was out of theirs, Mal cautiously used her light to heal her wounded hand. Ben has been teaching her how to control her light, which included using it to heal herself, though she always used too much. It was the real reason she wanted them to leave. Despite the dire situation, there was no way Mal wanted them to find out her secret this way. She would tell them, eventually.

Besides, Mal didn't need anyone, she never had. Okay, maybe the four of them had stood together when Maleficent was defeated, but come on, in the end, everyone knew it was Mal's will that had broken her mother's and reduced the dragon to the size of a lizard.

Although Mal's heart felt small right then, thinking of her friends descending the mountain without her, she couldn't let it stop her. She covered every inch of the nest, and on the third time through the muck, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Something small and purple.

"Aha!" Mal exclaimed. She stuffed the purple egg in her pocket, relieved that it was done. She'd recovered her talisman just fine without anyone's help. Maybe the professor _was_ wrong about her quest; after all, the old guy didn't know everything.

Right?

She stood at the edge of the nest, ready to head down, when a vulture shrieked from above. She startled, losing her balance, and fell over the edge, just barely holding on to a branch at the very bottom of the nest. Her legs kicked wildly in the air.

Great, she was about to fall off a cliff, and she'd gotten rid of the only people who could have helped her. Why did she always insist on doing everything alone?

Her hands were starting to burn, making that previous healing break pointless.

She was an idiot, that's why. Too concerned about her secret than her own safety. She couldn't hold on much longer.

Evie, Jay, and Carlos needed to discover their own strength and so they had to face their quests for their talismans alone. Mal didn't have to be tested that way, because she already knew that she was strong. But what she didn't know until now, dangling over the edge, was that as strong as she was, she could always use a hand.

Strength didn't have to mean facing danger alone. Strength came from trust, loyalty, _and_ friendship. Plus, Yen Sid was right, this wasn't just her burden to bear, it was theirs too. She hoped her friends were still there.

"You guys!" Mal yelled with an unconscious smile gracing her lips. "I need some help!"

She saw her friends faces peering down at her from the nest above. "Mal!" Evie called down. "We're coming!"

Carlos held Evie's feet as she was lowered down, with Jay as the anchor. Ever so slowly, and ever so carefully, they dragged Mal back to safety. Mal could barely catch her breath. Her hands were cut and scratched worse than they were minutes ago.

But she was alive.

"Thanks, guys. For saving my life and everything."

"Did you find the egg?" Carlos questioned when they were all back inside the nest again.

Mal held up the purple oval that was hard as stone. "Yep."

"Why is it purple?"

"It still has to hatch," Mal answered like it was obvious. "But let's get out of here before this mountain completely collapses or something."

As if it heard her, the mountain began to rumble and shake, slowly disappearing back into nothingness now that its purpose had been served and its talisman taken.

* * *

So, to summarize what happened, the four traveled into a dark tunnel while the mountain was collapsing where they bumped into Ben and a few of his 'companions', which included the bubbly and forgetful Merlin. After the reunion, the group discovered that it was actually Madam Mim that was wreaking havoc in Auradon, _not_ Maleficent, and she used the Catacombs to travel to each kingdom undetected. Of course, the crazy woman was stopped and Merlin closed the tunnels so no one else on the Isle could escape.

It was Sunday afternoon when they returned to school; the practice fields were quiet and empty, and students were taking advantage of their free time to read under the trees or lazily throw Frisbees across the lawn. Mal blinked at the sudden brightness and serenity, a stark contrast to the dark mine they'd just left. She was about to put it away when she noticed something—at the edge of the purple was just a hint of green.

_The Dragon's Egg births a weapon. The most powerful talisman_. Mal shuddered and stuffed the egg back in her pocket for now.

"Home safe," Ben said. He thanked Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie for all their help, but he had to go back and meet with his councilors to update everything that happened.

"See you in a bit." He gave Mal's arm a squeeze before kissing her temple.

"Not if I see you first," she teased.

Ben headed over to Beast Castle as they made their way back to the residence halls. It was almost impossible to believe they had been gone for less than a day, and the weekend wasn't even over yet. It felt like they'd been in the Catacombs of Doom for a lifetime.

"Well," Carlos began, "I guess that's it for now."

"Not quite," Mal insisted. "We still need to figure out how we're supposed to get rid of these talismans."

Jay nodded. "Tomorrow."

"I need a nap." Evie yawned.

* * *

The next day, the four of them met with Ben to discuss what to do with their evil talismans. They deduced that Fairy Godmother was the best option to destroy the items since she was the most powerful sorcerer in Auradon. The five also discovered that the three missing villains had returned home thanks to Merlin, but a goblin found the broken remote to the dome and given it to Jafar to fix. Once it was fixed . . .

"I'm not worried," Ben revealed. "In Auradon, we can count on our heroes to protect us."

"I don't feel like a hero . . ." Carlos muttered.

"That's okay." Mal smiled ruefully. "Remember what the professor said? We're the villains you root for in the story."


	15. Rise of the Isle: Chapter 1

**First chapter retelling 'Rise of the Isle of the Lost'. For this book, there will only be three chapters, and they will be short. I didn't have many ideas when it came to the third book, but considering how many chapters have been posted today, I think it's understandable.**

**This is the second chapter I wrote while watching Descendants and I noticed some actors were 'coincidentally' looking at some kind of paper, like 'homework' or 'player stats', before they had to deliver their lines. In other words, some actors couldn't remember their lines and had to use cheat sheets.**

**With that second random thought in your mind, enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

This is going to take some time to explain, so don't feel bad if you get confused during the explanation.

First, Mal used to be friends with Ursula's daughter, Uma, when they were children. They had a falling out which resulted in Mal dumping baby shrimp in Uma's hair, giving her the name 'Shrimpy' to match her new stench.

Since you know that, we will fast forward to just a mere week after the four VKs retrieved their talismans. They and Ben were attending a festival when a freak storm appeared, forcing it to be cancelled. The VKs, believing it was the evil objects, finally had the Fairy Godmother destroy the talismans.

The next day, they discovered that one of King Triton's grand-daughter—Arabella—had secretly taken his trident. Arabella lost control of the powerful weapon, which had created the storm. Due to the storm, she lost her grip on the trident, which flew off somewhere close to the Isle of the Doomed. Since King Triton has to return his trident to the museum, that meant the trident has to be found that night.

Of course, Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos agreed to get the trident. The only way to get the trident was by boat, so they mutual agreed to _borrow_ one of Ben's speed boats without his permission. To be fair, they did try calling Ben to explain and ask for permission, but they couldn't reach him. He was in the middle of helping Lonnie with an issue involving Agrabah, Northern Wei, and the wall. They wouldn't be able to reach him in time, so they went with the plan to take a boat.

_However_, they were quickly caught by the Fairy Godmother, who was working on party decorations for the old King and Queen's retirement party. An angered Fairy Godmother escorted the four VKs to her office with her magic wand pointed at their backs. None of the students greeted the infuriated headmistress, except for one brave soul who decided to get some help for the VKs.

Mal shifted her weight from foot to foot as the four of them stood on the rug in Fairy Godmother's office, where just yesterday they had surrendered their evil talismans. They definitely weren't those heroes anymore. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach. This was the exact opposite of what she had intended to happen when she'd taken on Arabella's problem. She'd only meant to help a friend, but she'd gotten them all in trouble in the process.

"I'm sorry guys," she whispered.

Evie put an arm around Mal. "It's okay."

"We're all in this together," Jay announced. "We go down as one."

"I just hope we're not really going down," Carlos muttered.

Fairy Godmother finished locking the door and stood in front of the group. She stared at each of them in turn with a frosty glare. "What is the meaning of this? Outside of school property and past the security grate down at Belle's Harbor! The rules are there to keep you kids safe."

Mal grimaced as Evie and Carlos looked chagrined, but Jay tried for a winning smile. "You see, Fairy G, we were—"

"Hush!" Fairy Godmother ordered, putting up her palm.

"We were just—" Mal began softly.

"Hush!" Fairy Godmother said again.

They all began to talk all at once. "We were night-swimming!" Jay fibbed.

"We saw in the magic mirror that . . ." Evie trailed off.

"Auradon is in danger," Carlos warned.

"Uma can't win!" Mal cried.

"One at a time!" Fairy Godmother shouted.

Once again, they all started to speak at the same time.

"You go ahead," Mal said to Evie.

"No, you go," Evie stated to Carlos.

"You explain," Carlos said to Jay,

"I will," Jay volunteered. "Well, you see, Fairy G, it's like this."

"Stop," Mal ordered. "I know what you're about to say." Jay was an experienced and practiced liar, and no doubt he'd already come up with a good story and was fabricating some details in his mind.

"You do?" Jay wondered curiously.

"Whatever it is, it's not the truth. And I think we need to tell the truth tonight." Mal stuck her hands into her jacket pockets, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Are you sure?" Jay questioned.

"I would prefer the truth," commented Fairy Godmother, sounding amused for the first time that evening.

"I'm sure," Mal mumbled sourly.

Fairy Godmother nodded. "Also, I must inform you that this is a very serious offense indeed. Stealing something that doesn't belong to you goes against every rule we have in Auradon. I'm afraid if you are found guilty of such a crime, you will all be expelled from Auradon Prep and sent back to the Isle of the Lost."

"Sent back?!" Evie cried.

Carlos went pale.

Jay gulped.

Mal balled her hands into fist, frustrated. They were only trying to help. Uma was out there, and the trident was within her reach—not to mention that of all the other villains who were searching for it.

Then, something else clicked in Mal's mind. She_ can't_ leave Auradon. If she leaves, Ben will eventually lose control of his darkness. The public would find out his secret and force him to step down as king. She could _not_ let that happen.

"—I dearly hope you have a good explanation for this." Fairy Godmother crossed her arms, still holding her wand like a weapon.

It was to come clean and confess all—Arabella's mischief, the missing trident, and their plan to recover it. Mal had to . . . for Ben.

"You see, Fairy Godmother . . ." Mal was about to admit to everything, when the King of Auradon himself burst into the office, luckily having an extra key.

Ben entered the room wearing a dusty regiment uniform, Jane at his heels. Before Mal could say anything more, Ben held up his hand. "What's going on here?" he demanded. "Mal, what happened?"

"Oh! Ben." Fairy Godmother offered a small smile. "I'm so glad you're here! We have a situation."

"I can see that," Ben stated mildly as he sneakily held Mal's hand in case her you-know-what or his you-know-what decided to make an appearance. "Someone care to tell me what it is?"

"Fairy Godmother caught us in a restricted area by Belle's Harbor," Mal confessed. "On the royal speedboat."

Ben raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "I see . . ."

"They were in the middle of stealing it," Fairy Godmother accused, her voice rising an octave. "This is exactly what we feared when we let villains into Auradon."

_I can explain_, Mal mouthed when the headmistress wasn't looking. _I promise_.

_I believe you_, Ben mouthed back. _I got this_.

Verbally, Ben insisted, "Actually, Fairy Godmother, they were doing nothing of the sort. They weren't breaking any rules. They were down at the harbor because I sent them there."

"Right, we'll put them on the first boat back to the Isle of the Lost . . . Wait, what?" Fairy Godmother blinked in surprise. "Excuse me? What did you say?"

"They weren't doing anything wrong. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos were on a secret mission for me, which is why they were on the royal speedboat. Because I told them to take it," Ben stated firmly. "And that's why they couldn't explain what they were up to because they knew it was confidential."

"They were on a secret mission for you? Did I hear that correctly?" Fairy Godmother cupped an ear.

Ben yelled into it. "Yes!" He exchanged a meaningful look with Mal.

"Ben, you don't have to do this," she whispered.

"Of course I do," he claimed. "I can't let you guys get in trouble when you were only doing this for me." He turned away before Fairy Godmother could get suspicious.

"See, Mom?" Jane asked rhetorically. "I told you they weren't doing anything wrong!"

"And may I ask what the secret mission is . . . ?" Fairy Godmother still looked unconvinced.

"Unfortunately, it's council business," Ben fibbed. "Top secret information that could compromise the safety of the kingdom. You do understand."

Fairy Godmother side and finally relented. "Of course. If you say so."

"You have my word." Ben vowed. Letting go of Mal's hand, Ben slung an around her shoulders instead. "I don't know what I was thinking, sending you guys on such a dangerous assignment alone. We'll do it together."

"I'm so sorry I meddled," apologized a contrite Fairy Godmother. "But I'm so relieved as well. I was quite distressed about expelling you. I couldn't believe my eyes when I found you."

"We're sorry we couldn't tell you the truth." Mal paused to ask hopefully, "Are we dismissed?"

"If the king agrees."

"I do." Ben agreed.

Fairy Godmother waved them off. "Dismissed."

The group slowly began to leave, but Ben hesitated for a moment, forcing Mal to stop as well. He turned to face Fairy Godmother with Mal feeling his darkness close to emerging. "For any future or possible incidents, you do _not_ have the authority to send _anyone_ to the Isle of the Lost for a punishment, even if that is their home. And I can assure you that Mal will _NEVER_ be sent there, unless she is doing something for the royal family. Mal is far too important to this kingdom to be sent away on a crime she didn't commit. Do I make myself clear?"

Clearly startled by the reprimanded, Fairy Godmother slowly nodded. "Yes. It won't happen again."

Satisfied with that answer, Ben led Mal out into the hallway, muttering in her ear, "That solves our big problem . . ."

Despite the tense situation, Mal cracked a smile, grateful to know they were thinking the same thing.


	16. Rise of the Isle: Chapter 2

**I am sorry to say that this may be the last chapter for the day. I will try to get that third chapter done and posted ASAP. Hopefully, it shouldn't take too long. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

After explaining the situation to Ben, the five of them were on their way to get the trident.

The Isle of the Doomed loomed larger and larger through the mist as they got closer to their destination. Mal had forgotten how foreboding the mysterious island looked, especially with Maleficent's fortress built right on the top of the tallest cliff, casting gloomy shadows everywhere.

"Hurry!" Mal shouted urgently as Evie checked her mirror.

Jay scanned through the fog, just as it began to rain. "Look!" he yelled, as a huge pirate ship came into view on the other side of the beachhead.

"Uma!" Evie cried. "She's already here!"

"Faster Ben!" Mal urged.

"I'm trying," Ben said. But it was hard to navigate the three-foot-tall waves, and all of them were drenched.

"Turn left again!" Carlos instructed, tracking the trident's possible location on the map and attempting to navigate the rough waves.

Ben steered the boat left. They all leaned forward and tried not to fall off.

"Uma found it!" Evie warned as she watched Uma stand up from the little rowboat. "She's diving for it!"

"No!" Mal cried. "She can't have it!"

Ben zoomed the boat over to an inlet by the Isle of the Doomed. They couldn't see anything in all the fog and rain. As he turned the boat, it crashed against the barrier. "This is as close as I can get us," he informed, trying to keep his eyes open against the howling wind and rain.

"Mal, do it now!" Carlos shouted.

"Jay, take the wheel," Ben ordered. He jumped to the boat's hood, balancing himself as it was rocked by the waves. He offered a hand to Mal. "Come on!"

Mal climbed up from the dashboard next to Ben, holding her spell book tightly. Waves lashed against the boat making it hard to stand upright. She stumbled, but Ben caught her. "I've got you," he muttered in her ear, his hands steady against her waist.

She shot him a quick smile and opened the book to the spell she needed. A simple one—even a child could use it. "_Spark and fire, elf and gnome, open up this invisible dome!"_ she cried. For a moment nothing happened; then a small, pinprick-size hole appeared in the invisible barrier. It grew larger and larger until Mal was able to thrust her arm through the unseen wall.

"It worked!" She laughed in relief.

"Get the trident!" Ben yelled.

"Too late!" Evie shouted watching the mirror. "Uma's got it!"

Mal wanted to curse, until she realized creating a hole in the dome meant the she could use a little magic within the barrier for a change. And a little magic was all she needed. She checked her watch; it was not yet fifteen after the top of the hour.

"_Time and tide, wind and night! Turn the clock back to the top!"_ she chanted, and time went backward for everyone else just enough to give Mal time to grab the trident before Uma could lay her hands on it.

"Whoa." Carlos blinked in confusion. "What just happened?"

"Mal turned the time back; it's okay, you'll get used to it," Evie reassured. "Mal, now! Uma's back on her boat, she doesn't have the trident yet!"

Mal opened her palm. She'd written the spell on her own, and hoped it would work. "_Demon heart and all things abhorrent, bring me the sea king's missing trident!"_

But no trident appeared, only more sheets of rain.

What was going on?

It turned out a little bit of magic was all her opponent needed as well, and with the hole in the barrier still open, Uma was tapping into a power of her own. She stood on the rowboat and held a golden seashell, which glowed in the darkness.

"Uma's using Ursula's necklace—it's pulling on the trident too!" Evie informed as she watched the mirror intently.

Mal's spell and Uma's necklace each drew the trident, causing a magnetic force that roiled the seas, angering and confusing the waves. The wind lashed with fury, and rain stormed on the water.

Mal wiped her hair from her eyes. She was soaking wet and shivering in her leather jacket. Lightning struck the skies, thunder rolled, and the waves got bigger and bigger, threatening to overpower the speedboat. They wouldn't last out here much longer. She had to get that trident away from Uma.

Evie was almost thrown overboard, but Carlos caught her hand in time. "One hand for you, and one hand for the ship," he advised, as the skies cracked open overhead once again.

"Bring me King Triton's trident!" Mal called, her arm straining across the barrier. She felt the power of the spell through her body as she bent her will toward recovering that trident from the ocean floor.

From afar, she could see the golden trident as it wavered in its rise toward her enemy. It stalled, floating in the ocean, then slowly began to wrench toward her.

"It's working!" yelled Evie.

The energy around their boat crackled as the necklace and the spell fought for supremacy over the trident and the trident moved toward the speedboat.

"To me!" Mal cried, using every last ounce of her will and magic to bring it forward.

It jerked toward their boat, just a hairbreadth away. But at the very last second, the trident twisted around, moving closer to the Isle of the Lost, closer to Uma.

Mal felt the prize slipping away from her. Making a split decision, she called on her light to force the trident to submit to her. Suddenly, it hurtled toward her like a missile.

Mal gasped as the trident slammed into her palm, and she clenched her fist around it. It jerked and twisted in her grasp, and Mal could see powerful energy waves around it, attempting to pull it in the opposite direction. Mal tried to hold it with both hands—forcing her light out a little more to keep it steady—but the energy from Uma's necklace pulled off her left glove, sending it soaring away.

Mal yanked the trident through the hole in the barrier. "I've got it!"

"The barrier!" Carlos reminded her.

"_Elf and gnome, close this dome!_" she yelled.

The hole in the invisible barrier shut with a snap. The magnetic energy around the trident immediately disappeared, and her hand dropped suddenly as the tension vanished. The shock of it sent her flying into Evie, who fell overboard.

Mal clutched the trident and crouched on top of the boat, searching the churning ocean. "EVIE!" she screamed. "EVIE, NO!"

Jay steered the boat around the waves as they frantically searched for their friend.

"EVIE!" called Jay.

"Evie, come on!" yelled Carlos.

_Come back to me_, Mal thought fiercely, hanging on to the edge of the railing. _Come back, Evie_. She wished so hard, she thought her head would explode, or that might have been from using so much of her light. Still, there was nothing but the raging sea and the crash of thunder and lightning.

"The storm is just getting stronger," Jay warned. "We're going to sink."

"I think I saw her over there!" yelped Ben. "Circle around!"

"EVIE!" Mal cried. "Where are you?"

But still there was nothing. The largest wave they'd ever seen rose from the ocean and slammed hard onto the boat, throwing them against each other.

"I can't keep us afloat much longer!" Jay cried.

Just when it seemed they were going to capsize, Evie emerged from the water, her arms flailing. Mal was spent from using her magic _and_ from using so much of her light, so she fell limply against the railing. "Help her! I can't do much more," she cried, keeping a tight grip on the trident.

Luckily, her friends picked up the slack, moving with precise urgency. "We're too far away for her to swim," Ben deduced. "Quick, Carlos, grab a life ring. Jay, you have the best arm, throw it to her!"

Ben took the wheel of the speedboat while Jay tossed the orange floatie as far as he could. "EVIE! GRAB IT!"

Evie caught the ring with one hand and held on, keeping her head above the waves.

"PULL!" yelled Ben, steering the boast as Jay and Carlos tugged mightily on the rope, bringing Evie back despite the waves and the rain, inch by inch, until at last she was floating by their side.

"Evie! I thought we'd lost you!" Mal cried joyfully, tears of relief falling down her cheeks and mingling with the rain as she leaned over to help Carlos and Jay haul her back onto the boat. "Are you okay?"

"You're okay, you're okay," Carlos reassured, smacking Evie's back to help her cough up seawater,

"Here." Jay handed Evie a warm towel he grabbed from below-deck, helping Carlos drape it over her shoulders.

Evie leaned on Mal, still shaky on her feet. "I'm okay, thanks to you guys."

Mal gave Evie a tight hug. "I don't know what I would do without you! Don't ever scare me like that again!"

"You scared all of us," Ben corrected, letting Jay steer the boat once more. "That was intense. But you got it, Mal?"

"I got it." She gladly handed him the trident.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief. "We did it."

"We did it," Mal repeated, not quite believing it as Ben held the golden trident in his hands.

"We did it together." He turned to Jay, who was back at the wheel. "Come on, let's get out of here before we sink."


	17. Rise of the Isle: Chapter 3

**Final chapter for Rise of the Isle retelling. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

After getting everything settled with the trident situation, everything was back in order with all of them able to attend class the next day.

Mal's final class of the day was her favorite: Freestyle Painting, where she could do whatever she wanted. She was looking forward to working on her self-portrait, which covered an entire wall in the studio. When Mal turned the corner, she was surprised to find the classroom not only empty of other students and the usual mess of paints and canvases, but also sparkling clean and overwhelmed with dozens of flower arrangements.

"Um, what is happening?" she wondered just as Ben stepped out from behind a garland.

"Mal," he greeted sweetly, taking her hand with a look of adoration in his eyes. "Remember how I wanted to ask you something?"

"Sort of?" She answered in confusion. Mal wasn't quite sure what was happening as her heart began to pound painfully in her chest. As she glanced around the room, she got a better look at the flowers. It was sweet of him to have remembered that her favorites were black dahlias and bat orchids. The room was bursting with their sweet-but-spicy scents.

"Mal, will you be my lady at Cotillion?" Ben requested.

She gazed at Ben in confusion. "Um, okay?" she answered unsurely. Ben looked so sweet and sincere kneeling before her, and of course she would do whatever he needed her to do.

"Great!" Ben embraced her in excitement.

Mal smiled, looking deep into his eyes, just as hundreds of balloons fell from the ceiling. The paparazzi burst through the door, dozens of cameras flashing at once.

"Ben, I'm so sorry," Jane apologized as she wringed her hands. "I tried to keep it a secret, but they followed you."

"It's alright." Ben turned to Mal apologetically. "I'm sorry they're here. I wanted this just to be our moment."

"You're the king," Mal reminded. "Everyone wants to know what's going on with your life." Internally, Mal was grateful that she changed out of her torn jeans and leather jacket into a cute dress Evie had loaned her.

"Oh!" Mal shielded her eyes from the glare of the flashes, but then forced herself to pose for the cameras.

Mal smiled, feeling as if she had just won something that she didn't quite ask for. Ben pulled her into another hug, giving her the opportunity to whisper in his ear, "What is a Cotillion?"

"It's a dance," Ben explained as he waved to the cameras with kingly grace. "You get introduced to the kingdom, officially becoming Lady Mal."

Ben looked completely happy while Mal was nervous. Lady Mal? That sounded fancy and serious.

"When is it?" she wondered.

"Soon, but there are all these events leading up to it first to wrap up with the Celebration of Auradon." Ben explained. "We're going to tour the kingdom, make sure you meet all our subjects."

Mal gritted her teeth in determination. She could do it. She would be perfect from this day forward, all the way up to Cotillion. She would play the part of royal girlfriend to the hilt. "Ben, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything." He kissed her hand in reassurance.

"Can I move my mom out of the library and into my room? I don't think she's a threat to the kingdom as a lizard."

Ben thought about it for barely a moment before he smiled. "I think that can be arranged."

"And can we keep my . . ." Mal trailed off so he could get the hint, "_thing_ a secret for a little while longer?"

"Of course," Ben agreed. "I would _never_ tell anyone; not without your permission."

Mal sighed in relief. "Thank you, Ben."

She took a deep breath to calm herself. Cotillion was not too far away, plus she had all those Celebration of Auradon events to accompany Ben to. Agrabah's festival was next on the calendar, so a royal visit with Aladdin and Jasmine was in the works. She was going to do her best, she promised herself, thinking of the spell book temporarily hidden book back in her dorm room.

She just had to make a few changes to herself . . .


	18. Descendants 2: Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter of retelling Descendants 2.**

**To speed things up a bit, it will mainly be events that involve Mal and/or Ben. I am hoping that if I work fast and hard enough that I can get to retelling Descendants 3 by hopefully Sunday or Monday. I might be able to start and finish 'Escape from the Isle' retelling tomorrow.**

**Don't forget there will be a hint about my idea for retelling the third movie, but you won't see it for a while. You'll know what the hint is once you see it.**

**I have started typing the chapters . . . and I'm not impressed with what I've done so far. I'll probably post an author's note on the ones you can skim over. **

**HOWEVER, there will be a couple that you will want to read; one that involves the hint and one that has our special guest.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Mal has changed a lot since you've last seen her.

Her signature leather getup and long vicious purple hair were no more. In fact, Mal looked every bit like a prissy princess she used to mock when she lived on the Isle of the Lost, except that instead of pretty in pink, Mal's lace dress was white, and her hair was ice blond pinned up in a bun. There was a slight purple ombrè to the tips—the only trace left of her villain roots.

Instead of causing terror on the streets of the isle, Mal faced a mass of rowdy news reporters and camera-people that cornered her at a fountain. The light from the paparazzi's flashing cameras snapped Mal out of her thoughts.

"Mal!" the news reporter called out, shoving microphones in her personal space.

Mal remembered to breath, and to smile. _Be ladylike_, she chided herself. _Keep your light under control. They don't need to know. . ._

"Only three days to the Royal Cotillion!" shouted a reporter.

"Ever think a girl like you would be lady of the court?" yelled another.

Mal turned from face to face, unsure of which to address first. She wished they would all go away and leave her alone for once. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they find out her secret.

"How do you feel being the most _envied _girl in Auradon?"

"Do you like being a blonde?"

"Is your mother _still_ a lizard?"

Mal opened her mouth, unable to formulate a single word. There were too many to answer, and she wondered if she even should. They never let her get a word in anyway.

Luckily, she wouldn't have to.

"Alright!" Ben exclaimed to the camera crew as he leaped to Mal's side, looking dashing in his royal blue suit. He held an ordinary apple with a small bite taken out of it. "We will let you know _if _and _when_ that particular situation changes."

Mal felt momentarily relieved that he handled the situation, but that ended when the reporters resumed shouting.

"King Ben, did you ever think you'd be with a Villain Kid?"

Ben tried to laugh off the question. "We're done here."

However, the paparazzi continued with their obnoxious yelling. They tried their best to ignore the ruckus. Ben faced Mal and smiled kindly, holding her hand ever so sweetly—though she knew he was trying to keep her light under control. Mal hid her face in his shoulder as Ben cooed reassuring words in her ear.

"They'll go away soon," he promised in a low mutter. "Only a few moments longer."

As soon as he said that, Fairy Godmother tottered through the rose garden and stepped between the lovely couple and the frenzied crowd. Her hair was up in a loose bun and she wore her signature lavender dress with a big pink bow at the neck with pearl earrings.

She addressed the raucous mass sternly. "Shoosh, shoosh, shoosh, shoosh, shoosh, shoosh." She motioned for silence with her hands. "This is still a school. So, if you're here, you're either skipping or trespassing! Either way, I need you to—"

The people began to spout ridiculous remarks.

"Shhh! Shhh! Shhhhhh!" Fairy Godmother gestured for silence again. Once the crowd finally quieted, she smiled happily. "Shhh!" she added with a little merry laugh.

The news reporter reporters slowly and reluctantly began to disperse. Knowing them, they would most likely be back a few minutes after Fairy Godmother leaves. Before long, almost the whole crowd had receded to the edge of the lawn. However, that wasn't exactly far from the trio; maybe about twenty yards at the most.

"Thank you! Thank you so much. Thank you," called Fairy Godmother politely.

"Thank you, guys!" Ben waved at the retreating crowd.

"Thank you!" shouted Mal—and she meant it. Now that they were gone, she could get her light under control again. She's been struggling with that a lot lately.

"Mal, Ben." Fairy Godmother acknowledged with a brief nod.

"Fairy Godmother," the couple replied in unison.

Fairy Godmother's work was finished. Now she can go back to helping plan the Cotillion. She scampered away from the lovely pair.

Mal gazed at Ben shyly. "Hi," she greeted, letting out a flustered laugh to calm her nerves.

Ben beamed at her with a comforting smile. "Just ignore them," he advised of the throng of reporters, who were now milling at a safe distance with their cameras at their sides.

"That's a _lot_ easier said than done." Mal gave him a slight smile to show she appreciated the advice.

Ben pulled Mal closer to him. "I know, I know." Ben insisted. "Maybe we should go out . . . We should—" He checked his golden watch—something he wouldn't be able to do on the Isle. "Oh no. I have a council meeting! I'm so late." He winced as he gazed into Mal's saddened green eyes.

"That's okay." Mal had nothing but understanding in her voice. She knew Ben has been struggling to maintain both his personal life and his royal duties. Every now and then she would catch him using his darkness to keep up his energy and stamina. It's a wonder how he isn't affected yet.

"I'll make it up to you," Ben promised. He leaned down to kiss her. Mal tensed, wondering if she should let it happen. They hadn't kissed one another in so long. The last time might have been his Coronation six months ago.

Out of nowhere, Evie ran up behind Mal. Stylish as always, she wore a blue dress with a gold collar and belt. Her long blue hair remained down in loose waves, held in place by a delicate gold headband encrusted with red gems.

Evie grabbed Mal's arm and spun her around before the couple could actually kiss. "If we don't do a fitting for your gown right this minute, you'll be dancing in your bathrobe." Evie smiled at Ben in greeting. "Hi. Let's go. Let's go." She deftly dragged Mal away.

Mal turned back to Ben with a small smile. "Bye, Ben."

In a flash, the news reporters swarmed Ben with microphones and cameras aimed like swords. "King Ben! King Ben! Just one question about the Cotillion—"

* * *

SQUISH!

A tight squeeze to her bodice knocked Mal out of breath. She stood on a fitting platform as Evie fitted her for her extravagant Cotillion gown. The blue-and-yellow garment, with its layers of tulle and darkly glinting gems, was hand crafted for a true princess, maybe even a queen.

Sunlight shone through the polished windows into Mal and Evie's dorm room. Mal used her half for mainly storage space. The lizard in an aquarium tank on Mal's bedside table didn't help it from looking like a zoo. It bore a sign that said DON'T FEED MY MOM, for inside was none other than the evil Maleficent, who had been transformed at King Ben's Coronation ceremony from a giant powerful dragon to a puny green lizard.

On the other side, Evie made herself at home. A bejeweled periodic table of the elements dominated a wall, and her worktable hosted spools of fabric, her sewing machine, an assortment of multi-sized boxes, colored pencils, and pages of clothing designs she had drawn. Beside the worktable, Evie's handmade dresses hung on a rack. One look at Evie's side of the room and it was clear fashion designing was her passion.

Mal gasped as Evie yanked the dress tight in the bodice again and pinned it in place. "Evie," Mal whined. "I cannot breathe."

Evie lifted Mal's arm with a smile. "Well, you can breathe after Cotillion."

Mal laughed sarcastically, knowing that was never going to happen. "Yeah, well, I sincerely doubt that. I have like twenty more events directly behind it, and I can't remember what a single one of them is."

Mal gazed almost longingly to her old leather Isle of the Lost jacket, hanging aimlessly on a hook beside the TV. She thought about when she had been rotten to the core—with her purple hair and jacket—and feared and respected by everyone on the Isle. She could roam about on the island without worrying about those intrusive paparazzi. She hadn't needed to keep her light in check because the villains' darkness kept it hidden. Here, she had to keep it subdued every waking moment.

"Evie," Mal called in a distant tone.

"Yeah?" Evie held a measuring tape across Mal's gown to check for any changes.

"Do you ever wonder what we'd be doing right now if we were still back on the Isle?" Mal wondered.

Her mind floated to her friends' hideout where they had spent time plotting and planning, crafting mischievous schemes to cause serious trouble. The hideout was their little getaway. In fact, she stayed there when her light got a little harder to handle.

Evie laughed, not really paying attention to Mal's question since she was _so _distracted. "That's funny." She turned, catching what was on the television screen. "Well, would you look at who's on TV!" She grabbed the remote, cranked the volume up, and listened to the segment while studying some of her sketches.

Behind her, Mal used the opportunity to plop down onto her canopy bed in a sea of yellow tulle.

She and Evie watched an old clip playing on the screen, where Mal and Ben were having dinner with Aladdin and Jasmine. On screen, Mal picked up a piece of meat and bit into it. She gagged at the griminess, but quickly covered it with a fake smile. When she thought no one was looking, Mal spit it out into a napkin, and beamed at her company.

Watching the TV, Mal shook her head in dismay.

"Six months ago," began the voice-over of the news reporter, "no one thought King Ben and his girl from the wrong side of the bridge would last."

"Yeah," Mal mumbled under her breath so Evie couldn't hear, "no kidding."

The news reporter continued. "I don't know her secret, but Mal is fitting in _beautifully_ now!" Footage played of Mal at the press conference—more like hostage situation—earlier that day. She smiled kindly and waved with her white lace gloves. "Mal must be counting down the days till the Royal Cotillion, where she will officially become a lady of the court."

Mal's eyes widened as she remembered the Cotillion being three days away.

She scooted around her bed. Taking the etiquette book _The Lady's Manners _from her bedside table and pulling her spell book from under her pillow, Mal opened to a specific page and incanted: _"Read it fast, at lightning speed, remember everything I need." _She quickly turned the pages of _The Lady's Manners_ and was able to magically absorb the book's facts.

Evie, noticing what her friend was doing, casually strolled over to Mal. "Well, _I _know Mal's secret to fitting in, and Ben wouldn't like it one bit." She leaned against the bedpost as she crossed her arms. "Haven't you guys had enough secrets between the two of you?"

Mal paused from her cheating with a soft sigh. "Evie, you saw what I was like before I started using the spell book, okay? I was a complete disaster!" She resumed flipping through the pages of the book to soak up the knowledge.

"Well, personally, as your best friend, I strongly believe that this spell book"—Evie swiped Mal's spell book before she could protest— "belongs in the museum with my magic mirror."

Evie was referring to the magic mirror that her mother, Evil Queen, had once given her so she could find and steal Fairy Godmother's wand. Evie had turned over a new leaf from being in Auradon for six months. No more wickedness, which meant getting rid of her evil possessions.

Mal pouted in longing of being evil again as she shut the etiquette book. Evie misinterpreted it as a whine. "Don't give me that face," she insisted. "Put the pout away. You know I'm right," Evie persisted as she moved the spell book to the worktable.

Mal sighed in pent up frustration. "Don't you ever miss just running wild and breaking all the rules? Being free from responsibilities."

Evie grinned, though Mal could tell it was fake. "Like stealing, lying, and fighting?"

Mal smiled dreamily at Evie's words. She could just picture herself back on the Isle doing those exact things. It cheered her up slightly. "Yeah!"

Evie's grin faded quicker than Mal expected. "_No!_" she shouted in protest, breaking Mal out of her little fantasy. "Why would we? M, come here!"

She took Mal's hands and led her off the bed and toward their TV. "Look at where we are! We're in _Auradon!_ And we're Auradon girls now." Evie gazed at the screen, and her face broke into a transfixed smile.

A video showed Mal, dressed in a crystal-encrusted gown, with Ben, who wore a crème-colored smart suit. They were seated at a table, covered by a white tablecloth, with strawberries in a dish and steaming cups of coffee at their sides.

Video Ben fed a chocolate-covered strawberry to Video Mal. She took a strawberry in her white-lace-gloved hand, dunked it into the molten chocolate, and fed it to Ben. Chocolate dripped on his face, so she wiped it off, laughing happily as she did. Ben dipped another strawberry in the chocolate and fed it to her. Mal took a bite, nodded dreamily, and nestled her head in the crook of Ben's neck.

The real Mal wanted to retch from the display of affection. She had only done that because the cameras were pointed at her. Who knows what she really would have done . . . ?

"And of course, there's Mal's _wardrobe_!" exclaimed the news reporter dramatically. "Auradon has never seen such a fresh, exciting look. Our hottest new designer, Evie, just keeps surprising us!"

"_See_?" Evie smiled like she won the lottery. "_This _is the land of opportunity!" She pulled Mal into a tight side-hug. "We can be whatever we want to be here! So please, let's just leave the past in the past, okay? Besides, have you seen their shoes?" Evie lifted a pair of blue-and-gold high-heeled shoes off her worktable. "I mean, look at the shoes! Look at them!"

"Severe," Mal agreed as she forced a small laugh for Evie's sake.

The truth was Mal wasn't ready to leave her past behind. With a muffled sigh, Mal clenched her gloveless fist tightly to keep her light from emerging.

Although they may be best friend, Mal wasn't ready to tell Evie her secret just yet.


	19. Descendants 2: Chapter 2

**This is a chapter you can skim over. There are mentions here and there, but nothing big.**

* * *

Between their Auradon classes, Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos strolled outside the school to get some fresh air.

Mal wore a frilly pale green dress, with her hair in long blond tendrils, and she clutched a textbook from Fairies 101. She kept her head down and walked beside Evie, who was the epitome of fashion in her blue dress and blue box purse, both of her own making. Jay and Carlos led Dude, Carlos's scruffy but adorable dog, on a leash. The friends climbed up some steps and onto a breezy outdoor patio.

Fellow students, holding textbooks, were milling about, perching in the niches of the school's stone wall, or sitting on a stone railing. They smiled at Mal and her friends. The VKs had come a long way since they had arrived in Auradon. They used to be looked down on for being the kids of terrible villains, but now the four were treated with respect. It helped that Mal was gearing up to be the Lady of the Court.

Jay nodded flirtishly at a group of girls, who swooned at his handsomeness. On both the Isle and Auradon, he could make anyone fall in love with him.

"Why do you torture them?" Carlos wondered in slight amusement and irritation. His attitude was understandable since he had to go through Jay's little routine every day. "Just pick someone to take to Cotillion already."

"I'm going solo," Jay insisted. "That way, I can dance with all of them."

"Ah, you're the expert," Carlos compliment with a laugh in his tone. "Let's say that you were going to ask someone. . . . What's the best way to go?"

"Listen." Jay rested his hand on Carlos's shoulder. "All you got to do . . . is look like me." Jay howled with laughter at Carlos's downcast expression.

"Oh, ha-ha." Carlos rolled his eyes, unamused. "You're hilarious."

Evie chuckled, but Mal seemed lost in thought. She was mentally reviewing everything that she read from _The Lady's Manner._ She couldn't avoid slipping up with the Cotillion so soon even if she was running out of energy.

"Mal!" Jane greeted out of nowhere.

Mal snapped to attention and plastered a fake smile on her pale features. Jane had appeared before Mal and her friends, clutching a tablet. Lonnie, daughter of Mulan, stood by her side, looking as chipper as ever. Lonnie's long black hair stood out against her bright pink dress.

Mal was in no mood to answer more Cotillion questions from Jane, who was helping plan the event. It seemed like every time Jane interrogated her, Mal came closer and closer to losing control of her light because of her irritability.

Carlos unwittingly distracted Jane for Mal. "H-hey, Jane," he greeted nervously.

"Hey." Jane smiled kindly at him.

"Uh." Carlos looked at Jay for a second to gain some confidence. He turned back to Jane. "I was wondering . . . if you . . . uh . . . liked the carrot cake last night," he said.

"I had the pumpkin pie," she corrected sweetly, a bit confused.

"Oh. Cool." Carlos stared at her, unsure of what to say next to impress her. "Um . . ."

Jay walked behind him and gripped his shoulders. "Smooth," he complimented sarcastically in a low voice. Jay swiftly dragged Carlos and Dude away to their next class to save Carlos from further embarrassment.

Mal braced herself for the barrage of questions. Lucky for her, Evie chimed in. "I have an opening for a fitting at three! Who wants it?" Evie asked the girls.

"Me!" Lonnie leaped in front of Jane, then winced. "Sorry," she added.

"Okay then, I'll take you later." Evie promised Jane as she pulled Lonnie to the side to chat about Lonnie's dress.

"Mal!" Jane stepped in front of Mal to keep her from leaving. "I hate to keep bugging you, but the Cotillion decorating committee needs more answers. So as much as I hate to . . . uh . . . to . . . you know—"

"Bug me?" Mal guessed.

"Right." Jane nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah. Uh, no. Totally. I—I just have to get to class." Mal jerked her thumb toward the school building. It was a weak excuse to get away, but it wouldn't work. She's tried it too many times before.

"You know what? Just nod if you like it." Jane held up her tablet that she hadn't let out of her sight for weeks.

"Okay," Mal reluctantly agreed as she mentally prepared herself.

Jane used her stylus to sweep through an array of photos on the screen, one after another in a dizzying flurry. "Chair swags. Entry banner. Twinkle lights. Uh, let's see. Napkin design. Table bunting . . ." Jane scrolled through even more photos.

Mal bobbed her head at each image, not even paying attention to any of the options. She honestly didn't care. Mal would have been more than fine with Jane choosing everything herself.

"And you still haven't picked out the party favors yet." Jane added.

"Honestly, Jane, whatever you want to go with, I totally trust you—"

"I mean, we could do chains, key charms, pen toppers," interrupted Jane, continuing to tap through images. "I kind of love the pen toppers," she blurted out.

This was making Mal so anxious she could barely breathe.

"I mean, we could do all three if you want . . ." continued Jane, oblivious to Mal's attitude.

"You know—" Mal's eyes suddenly flashed bright green. If she wasn't careful, her light could explode at any moment. Taking a deep breath, her eyes returned to their normal shade of green. She smiled and rested a hand gently on Jane's arm. "I say pen toppers," she decided calmly.

"Really?" asked Jane.

"Yeah." Mal agreed with an encouraging nod. As if to convince herself, she repeated, "Yeah. . ."

"Okay! You won't regret it!" Jane beamed.

Evie and Lonnie walked back over to Jane and Mal once their discussion was over.

"I can hardly wait to see what your wedding will look like!" Lonnie exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, me too," Mal agreed with a vacant smile. She froze then, realizing what Lonnie had said. "Wait, _what_?"

"Yeah!" Jane exclaimed in agreement. "The Royal Cotillion is like getting engaged to be engaged to be engaged!"

"I knew it!" Evie clasped her hands together, delighted.

"Everyone knows it," Lonnie insisted.

Mal's eyes bugged out. "_I _didn't know it!" she said. "How come nobody told me that? Is my entire life just planned out in front of me and—"

Out of nowhere, Ben appeared at Mal's side in his royal-blue suit, scaring her half to death. "Hi, Mal."

"_Hiii, Ben_," Evie, Jane, and Lonnie said in a sing-song unison.

Mal glared at them.

Ben smiled warmly at his beloved as he leaned his forehead against hers. With that simple touch, Mal could feel him emitting some of his darkness. She must have let a little slip. . .

Jane grabbed him. "Quick moment!" She insisted as she pulled Ben to the side.

"Alright, the surprise is almost finished for Mal's big night," Jane informed Ben once they were out of earshot. She held her trusty tablet in front of him and showed him images of a stained-glass window that had a young happy couple on it.

"Make sure her eyes are green," Ben slightly ordered, slightly requested. He wanted to make sure his gift for Mal was perfect, just like she is. He wanted to show how grateful he was for everything she's done, from attending every royal event with no complaints to keeping his darkness in check, even though he was using a lot more than usual.

Behind Jane, Mal caught Ben's attention and nodded sideways as if to say, _Are you coming with me?_

Ben called out to Mal that he'd catch up with her later before he turned his attention back to Jane.

"Which green should they use?" Jane asked. She showed a few rectangular pieces of green stained glass to Ben. The shades of green were all very similar.

"Uh . . ." Ben took them and smiled. He picked the darkest green. "This one." He stared through it dreamingly, clearly imagining that he was staring straight into his beloved's eyes and seeing her light again for the first time.

* * *

Later on that day, Mal raced to her locker, grabbed her purse from inside it, and rooted around in the bag for a certain object.

"Hi, Mal." Came a voice from behind her.

Mal staggered back and found Ben leaning against her locker door.

"Hi!" she said, trying to act cool. She let out a nervous laugh.

Ben smiled warmly at her. "I . . . have a little surprise for you."

Mal forced a grin. His surprises were getting a little old to her. Every day she was getting a gift from Ben and she had nothing to give him in return, always feeling terrible about it. "Another one," she commented. "Wow, that's, like, every day now."

"Every _other _day," Ben corrected as his smile. "The even dates. Because you're _even_ more perfect than I thought."

"That's me. I am perfect." She kept herself from rolling her eyes, knowing she was far from it.

"Come on, let me spoil you." Ben pleaded as his smile faltered. "You didn't have much growing up."

Mal's smile turned a little annoyed. "We managed," she insisted.

Ben peered inside Mal's locker and saw her spell book sitting in a wire tray against the back. He pointed at the book. "Didn't you donate that to the museum?" He reached for it, but Mal guided his hand away, closed the locker door, and plastered a fake smile on her face again.

"Is that still in there?" Mal asked playfully. She brushed Ben's hair out of his eyes with her finger. He's let his hair grow out for the last couple months. "Um. . . I have to get to class. I don't want to be late, so—"

"No, you don't," Ben agreed. "But . . ." He took Mal's hand and led her by the arm to her gift.

A few steps away, there was a sparkly purple motor scooter with a gold bow on top.

"Ta-da," announced Ben, gesturing to it.

Mal gasped and cupped her hands to her mouth. "_What?_"

"Do you like it?" Ben wondered.

Mal beamed, genuinely thrilled. "Does an _ogre_ like _cheese puffs_?" She stepped closer to the scooter and inspected it, feeling the new seat and handles. "This is amazing!" She looked up at his smiling face. "It's purple!" She let out a joyful laugh. But then her face fell once she remembered something. "I didn't get you anything."

"Oh, well, you're making me a picnic with all my favorite foods, remember?" Ben leaned back against the lockers and smiled.

"No that's Thursday," Mal argued.

"It is Thursday," Ben insisted, reaching into his royal-blue jacket.

Mal laughed. "No, it's not," she said. She grabbed for her purse. Ben quickly pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and showed the date to Mal. "Thursday," he said, confirming what Mal had hoped wasn't true.

"I knew that," Mal fibbed.

"But it's okay, you know—" Ben started.

"No, no, no, no. I knew it was Thursday, I was messing around." Mal laughed again. "I actually . . . I just have a few more things to finish cooking, and then I'm all yours." Mal smiled like she truly meant it.

"What about class?" Ben mentioned.

"She multitasks!" Mal said, grinning. She patted Ben's chest affectionately and ran off.

"She dabbles!" Ben called after her.

Mal broke out into laughter.

"You're the best!" Ben shouted.

"That's me!" sang Mal.

But Mal couldn't help feeling that she was the worst, not knowing her light appeared for a few seconds.

* * *

Some time later, Mal burst into Jay and Carlos's room. She shut the door behind her and locked it to keep the paparazzi out. Carlos, who had been sitting on the bed, watched with interest.

Mal paced back and forth in an attempt to keep herself calm. However, that ultimately failed when the video from a few hours before appeared on TV again. In aggravation, Mal stubbornly shut the device off she started to get worse. Her eyes flashed a dazzling green and a gust of magical power stirred her hair. She knew any second now . . .

"Whoa," Carlos warned. "Easy girl."

Just like that, her light was back under control. But now, Mal had some pent up frustration to get rid of.

"You think this is so easy?" Mal shouted angrily. "You don't have people taking a picture of you every time you open up your mouth to say 'Boo!'." She sighed stubbornly. "Not that I can say 'Boo'."

"Sorry," Carlos muttered as he went back to typing on his computer.

Before more could be said someone rattled the doorknob. A second later, a key turned into the lock and the door slowly squeaked in. Chad Charming crept in, clearly impressed by how sneaky he was.

When Chad turned around, he saw Mal and Carlos staring at him. He froze.

"Hi!" Chad exclaimed with his classic cheesy fake smile, trying to act all innocent. "Just came to use your 3D printer. Won't be a sec."

Carlos gawked at him. "How did you get a key to my room?"

Chad gazed at his hand and pretended to be surprised by the key in his hand. "Oh!" He shouted in realization, before commenting, "I printed it last time I was in here."

Carlos and Mal looked at each other.

"You guys were sleeping," Chad added, though he wasn't helping his case.

When the two gazed back at him, Mal smirked at the prince in amusement while Carlos glared at him in disbelief and anger.

"Come on!" Chad cried as he motioned to the 3D printer. "Your printer is _so _much better than mine! And you installed all those hacks—"

"Out Chad!" Carlos shouted, pointing at the door. "Now!"

As Chad was almost out the door, Carlos called him back. "Leave the key," he chided the prince, like he should have known better.

With a huff, Chad left the key by the printer and dramatically left the room.

Mal waited a few seconds before she lifted a cherry red gumdrop from a box that was in her pocket. "Here's your potion."

Carlos's face lit up. "So, it'll make me say what I really feel to Jane?" He verified. Magic can be tricky, so he wanted to be extra cautious and informed.

"I mean, it is a truth gummy," Mal claimed flatly, "so take it or leave it."

"Awesome." Carlos reached out to grab the magic potion.

"Hold on." Mal hid it behind her back before he could take it.

Carlos blinked in surprise. "What? Why?"

"Do you _really_ want to take this?" Mal wondered, trying to save him some grief. "I only ask because if I took this right now, I would get myself kicked back to the Isle." Mal scoffed as she muttered to herself. "Not that that sounds ridiculously unappealing. . ."

"Yeah." Carlos nodded. "Yeah, I'll take my chances." He reached out his hand again.

But before they knew it, Dude had leaped down and eaten the gumdrop from Mal's hand.

Mal gasped. "Bad dog!"

Dude jumped back onto the bed. "That thing was nasty," he said. "And you"—he spoke to Carlos—"you just have to man up. And, while you're at it, scratch my butt."

Carlos and Mal stared at Dude in amazement. The dog can talk

"Well . . . you heard him." Mal told Carlos. "Scratch his butt."

Mal left the two of them to talk.

She had bigger issues to deal with, one being her last minute date with Ben—

And the other her failed attempts to keep her light under control.


	20. Descendants 2: Chapter 3

**This is also a chapter you can skim over. There are one or two references.**

* * *

Finally, it was time for Mal and Ben's perfect picnic date at Reflection Pond.

On a gazebo overlooking the calm green pond and surrounding lush tree-filled countryside, Mal and Ben sat at a table covered by a gold tablecloth, which boasted all sorts of treats: soup, hors d'oeuvres, beef ragout, cheese souffle, pies, puddings, pastel-colored cakes, fresh fruit tarts, a loaf of warm bread, and tiers of appetizers. All the fixings for a royal picnic to make Ben feel like a cherished guest. Something like this would _never_ be possible on the Isle.

"Would you like a hot hors d'oeuvre?" Mal questioned as she picked up the delicious food. She wore a pale blue dress, and her long ice-blond hair was loose and down. Mal has gotten better at 'dolling' herself up since Evie became so busy with her business. She fed Ben with her hand, trying to be somewhat romantic.

Ben ate the appetizer, moaning because of how delicious it was. "This is the best thing I've ever had."

"So, you like it?" Mal asked.

"I _more _than like it, in fact." Ben leaned in close to Mal and pinched a cracker from a tray, then sat back. "I double like it."

He took another bite of the food with a satisfied smile. "This is every single dish Mrs. Potts made for my parents. What did it take you—three days?" Ben surveyed the extravagant array of perfectly prepared fresh foods.

Mal eyed the picnic basket that sat on the table beside her. "Don't . . . even ask me," she said, laughing in hopes he'd drop it.

"Well it means a lot that you stopped and did all this for me." Ben complimented sincerely. "With all the craziness that's been happening to you." He took her hands in his to show his appreciation.

Mal couldn't look Ben in the eyes. She stared down at the table and smiled. It was times like these when she didn't care about her light emerging. She wished they had more alone time like this. No need to worry about being perfect or keeping her light in check for the cameras.

Ben turned her face gently toward him so he could meet her gaze. "I've missed you." He caressed her cheek. "We never have any time to be just us."

Mal didn't make a reply as she wiped away drop of sauce from the corner of Ben's mouth.

Ben smiled. "Can't take me anywhere, I guess."

Mal laughed gleefully. She had said the same thing to him during their first picnic at the Enchanted Lake. She'd tried her first jelly doughnut and gotten sugar on her lips. It had also been when they shared their first kiss with Mal not knowing Ben had never been under the spell. Speaking of Mal, she was finally beginning to relax and enjoy herself.

Ben looked around for something. "Do you—do you have any napkins?"

"I do, actually—" Mal said, feeling the perfect moment slipping toward chaos when he looked in the picnic basket. "I can grab them."

But before Mal could get his napkin, Ben reached into the picnic basket and instead pulled out Mal's spell book. Mal froze, silently wishing she had left it in her room.

Ben inspected the cover, somewhat recognizing it from earlier that day. "What's this?"

Mal stared at him, wide-eyed. She tried making up an excuse, "I . . . threw it in really last minute in case it rained and we needed to. . . I needed to step in." She attempted to take it back from him.

Ben pulled back and flipped through the various pages marked with sticky notes. "_Speed-reading _spell. _Blond hair _spell." He hesitated as he looked at the picnic feast and back at Mal. "_Cooking _spell." He slammed the book shut in aggravation. "And I was giving you props for fitting in so well! For doing your best!" Ben shouted, shaking his head in disappointment.

Mal began incanting a spell and waving her finger. "_Take back this moment that has passed._ . . ." She chewed her lip, trying to remember it. "_Replace it. . . Return it. . ."_

Ben's eyes widened, the realization and disappointment dawning on him. "Are you trying to _spell _me right now?"

Mal sobbed, breaking her character. "Ben, it has been _so_ hard—"

"Yeah, some things are hard!" He stood in a hurry and dropped the book onto the table. Without meaning to, his darkness appeared stronger than it had before. "Do you think it's been easy for me learning how to be king?"

"No!" Mal denied defensively. "No, of course not!"

"I thought we were in this together!" Ben cried.

Mal bolted out of her seat to defend herself, unconsciously letting her light out to mask his darkness. "Ben, we _are_ in this together!"

"But we're not!" Ben argued as his darkness grew. "We're not, Mal. You've been keeping secrets and lying to me. I thought we were done with that. This isn't the Isle of the Lost!"

Mal was stung. "Believe me, I know that," she insisted.

"They why are you doing this?" Ben implored of her.

"Because I am _not_ a pretty pink princess, Ben! I'm not one of those ladies, okay? I'm a big fake!" yelled Mal. She gestured to her hair and the food on the table. "I'm fake. This is fake."

During her announcement, Ben's temper settled down as his darkness dwindled down to almost nothing. However, Mal's light had yet to dissipate.

Sighing, she reached over the table, lifted her spell book, turned to a page, and incanted: "_Take this feast, this sumptuous meal, return it back to what is real_." She did a little finger wave and the feast disappeared. The trays, bowls, and plates of food were replaced by a sad peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a cookie.

"_This _who I really am, Ben," Mal, gesturing to the glum meal. Her eyes shimmered with tears, and she broke her stare with Ben to move away from him.

Ben reached out and touched her arm. "Mal," he said softly.

Mal shrugged Ben off. "No!" she shouted. "No." She stomped away, leaving Ben alone.

Wanting to make her feel better, Ben picked up the sandwich and called out, "Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite!" But she was already half-way back to the dorms.

Tossing the sandwich aside, he walked back to the rail and gazed over the pond. Across the calm green water, Ben could see the land on the other side, the very island that Mal came from. Gritting his teeth, he forcefully contained his darkness once again.

Ever since he started the planning and preparations for Cotillion, Ben has been using more and more to get his work done quicker so he'd have more time to make the event perfect for Mal. All he really needed was a break and maybe a few days of sleep, but there was so much that needed to be done.

Besides, nothing bad has happened to him yet, so there was really no need to worry.

Right?

* * *

Once Mal got back to school, she burst into her dorm room, relieved to find that Evie was nowhere in sight.

After changing into an outfit more like her old self, she wrote a quick note meant for Ben and placed his school ring on top of it. She needed to clear her head and that ring wasn't going to help. Evie will find it eventually, but by then she would be long gone.

Mal moved to Evie's worktable and found a small empty black box with a blue lid. She took a sharp pencil and punctured the lid of the box repeatedly. The pencil dropped from her hands as she was suddenly overcome with gloomy sobs.

"I don't belong here!" Mal cried as her sobs started to turn worse. She took a moment to compose herself so her light didn't appear.

She rushed to her mother's glass aquarium. Opening the lid of the tank, she lifted the tiny lizard out of her prison and placed her safely in the box. She looked down at her mother and let out a little laugh through her tears. "Let's blow this Popsicle stand, yeah?" Mal asked rhetorically, knowing her mother couldn't answer.

Auradon was not where she belonged—not anymore.

Mal was returning home.

* * *

Mal rode her brand new scooter out of the Auradon woods and came to a stop at the shore. She gazed across the Sea of Serenity longingly. It separated her from her old home that was a way away. The magical barrier flickered and shimmered over the Isle of Lost, like it was a distant memory, beckoning Mal to go further.

She flipped her goggles on her helmet up and wiped away her dried tears. Mal had left Auradon Prep hours ago, but she didn't expect it to take _this_ long to reach the shores of the kingdom. Her friends were probably looking for right now. She _has_ to make this quick.

Pulling the spell book out of her bag, Mal hurriedly flipped through the pages to find a useful spell. Once she found one that could work, she incanted, "_Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take me anywhere_."

The scooter roared to life, bearing a new glittering graffiti paint job.

"Please work," Mal pleaded quietly. Her voice was desperate. She needed to get away before her light got out of hand again.

Mal zoomed across the surface of the sea toward the isle of exiled prisoners, gaining speed with each yard that brought her closer to the island. She headed toward the barrier with her on the edge of her seat. With a brilliant flash, Mal's enchanted scooter disappeared through the magical barrier.

In a matter of minutes, she rolled through a dusty lane filled with disheveled, grubby pirates selling knickknacks at their rotting storefronts. Mal's scooter was dinged and battered-looking. It must have taken a great beating from traveling through the barrier.

A pirated leaped out of Mal's way while another ducked behind the newspaper she had been reading.

Mal stopped to scrutinize a vandalized Royal Cotillion poster of Ben and the new blond version of herself in a pink dress with white lace gloves. It read THE EVENING'S EVENTS TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON AURADON ROYAL TELEVISION. Over Ben's face, someone had scribbled a black eye path and a goatee, and a purple X had been spray-painted over Mal's face with GOOD GIRL! on her body.

In a rebellious rage, Mal ripped down the poster. Crumpling it up, she tossed it over her shoulder and continued on her way to her destination. The destitute pirated stared on in her wake, frightened by the unusual vehicle. Mal's roared proudly down another squalid street that would take her to where she wanted to be. The villagers jumped out of the way as quick as they could. Some shook their fists at her.

Mal smiled happily. She was home. She was _free_!

A short ride later, Mal rolled through an alley infested with grungy thieves, minions, and pickpockets. Her bike sputtered and spat as it slowed down to her crew's old hideout. Her scooter finally lost the rest of its life when Mal parked it under the old stairway. If Mal wanted to go back to Auradon, she'd have to find another way.

The hideout was an old house perched high on a broken bridge's dilapidated support. A drop-down gate barred a flight of steps that led to the entrance at the top, where a sign in mismatched flickering letters read ISLE OF THE LOST. At the bottom of the house, an old-fashioned ship's call horn hanged on a post, where visitors could announce themselves and request passage.

Mal removed her helmet, taking in the familiar surroundings and the old source of her happiness.

She grabbed a random pebble from the ground and hurled it at a sign that said DANGER: FLYING ROCKS. The gate slid up as the sign flew back at the collision. Mal ducked under the low-hanging gate and climbed the stairs.

Mal paused on a landing to gaze over the Isle. It was as bleak and dismal as ever.

She smirked and continued climbing until she reached the very top and entered the vacant house. Exposed light-bulbs and bits of fabric clung to the ceiling and graffiti images on the walls said WE SHALL RISE!, REVENGE!, and DOWN WITH AURADON!

The hideout was just how Mal left it—

And she couldn't be more relieved.

* * *

Back in Auradon, Ben had spent all night working on paperwork for Cotillion until early the next morning, using his darkness to keep him from passing out. Ben planned on apologizing to Mal as soon as he finished the preparations for the Cotillion and hoped that she would forgive him by making it extra special.

"Deborah, can you have Lumiere call me regarding Cotillion?" He requested into the earpiece he was forced to wear. "Thank you."

Ben peered at the piles of papers stacked before him on the desk, framed on each side by the Auradon flag. He dipped his quill into an ink pot and took a paper with the Auradon crest at the top to review. There was so much to do yet so little time to do it.

There was an impatient knock on the door and his friend Evie stuck her face into the room. "Ben," she called softly.

Ben looked up from his papers and his face brightened in surprise. "Evie!" He beckoned her closer as he gladly removed his earpiece and stood. "Come in."

She pushed through the door and closed it softly behind her. When Evie faced Ben, her lip trembled and her eyes glistened. In her shaking hands held a scrap piece of paper. "Mal's gone back to the Isle," she informed with her voice barely above a whisper.

Ben's expression turned blank. He couldn't have possibly heard her right. Mal wouldn't have gone back without telling him. Still . . . that would explain why her light felt so faint to him for the past few hours.

Evie made the short walk to Ben's desk and handed over the note. Before he could read it, she also gave him a shiny gold beast-head ring; the ring he gave Mal to help with her light.

Ben cautiously took the note and read it silently to himself. He crumpled the paper in disbelief.

"This is my fault," he muttered under his breath. Louder, he roared, "This is my fault!"

Ben paced back and forth in guilt. "I blew it. She's been under so much pressure lately. Instead of being understanding, I—I just went all Beast on her!" Ben slammed his hands on his desk, slumping over it.

An idea clicked in his mind: the solution to all of his problems.

"I have to go there and apologize," he decided. He turned to Evie. "I have to go and beg her to come back."

"Ben, you'll _never _find her," Evie discouraged. "You need to know the Isle, and how it works . . ."

In a small attempt to control his temper, Ben walked behind his desk to the window to look over the tree-filled lawn. He had to do it, for Mal.

Evie exhaled as she looked thoughtful. "You have to take me with you."

Ben spun away from the window. "Yes!" Then he regained his composure. "Uh, I mean, are you sure?"

Evie's expression hardened in determination. "Yeah." She stood taller to show her confidence. "She's my best friend." Evie turned around. "And we'll take the boys, too, because there's safety in number. And none of us are all too popular over there right now."

"Thank you."

Evie shifted to face him. "But let's get two things straight."

Ben stared at her, waiting for her conditions.

"You have to promise me I won't get stuck there again."

"I promise," Ben vowed. There was no way he would do such a thing.

Evie eyes Ben's royal-blue suit. "And there's no way you're going to the Isle looking like that."

Well . . . maybe he would now. . .😉


	21. Descendants 2: Chapter 4

**With this chapter, you can skim over the first and second section, but then read the last part. The third section is where things change up slightly.**

* * *

Mal cautiously marched through the narrow cobble-stoned streets and entered the Sorcerer's Square, one of the two main squares of the Isle. Mal had to be careful, since she didn't want everyone on the island knowing she was back just yet. There were a couple things she wanted to do before she made her grand announcement of her return.

Around her, Isle ne'er-do-wells ambled to and from below clothesline heavy with damp, soiled garments. Merchants tinkered at their run-down ramshackle shop stalls with outdated objects and slop for sale.

Mal trudged through the wet, slick street and approached the double doors of a small shabby salon. A weathered sign above the doors displayed a giant pair of scissors and a perfume bottle bearing the words _Lady Tremaine's Curl Up and Dye_. A clock sign on one of the doors said CLOSED UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

Mal looked around to see if anyone was watching her. When she thought the coast was clear, she pushed open a door peeling with crusty paint and quickly slinked inside, not making a single sound.

Mal walked inside the decrepit building, pushing aside clear plastic panels that hand from the ceiling. The salon had pipes and wires exposed in the ceiling, hair dryers made with botched-together pieces of machinery, and steaming glass vials with colorful dyes percolating, running through a system of pipes over a bathtub. To top it all off, the entire place—from the walls, where cracked mirrors hang, to each janky mismatched salon chair—was splattered with streaks of every shade of bright neon dye.

The girl sweeping the colorful salon didn't hear Mal enter, so she continued moving like she was ballroom dancing with the broom. Dizzy, one of Lady Tremaine's granddaughters, had on large gold-painted headphones embellished with tiny flowers and pearly metallic beads. She wore a multicolored dress and cat-eye shaped glasses. Each of her nails were painted a different color. Her brown hair was back in a bun with the ends bright neon pink.

Dizzy turned in the middle of her 'dance' and jumped in surprise when she saw standing before her. "Mal!" Dizzy pulled off her headphones as her freckled face lit up. "Is Evie back too?"

Mal let out a little laugh, though it almost sounded like a scoff. "As if." She placed a hand on her hip as she gazed around the salon; it hadn't changed a bit. "I, uh, forgot that you guys don't open till midnight."

Dizzy merely nodded, probably feeling as awkward about the conversation as Mal.

"The place still looks really great," Mal complimented with a small smile

Mal noticed Dizzy's gloves, her apron, and the pile of hair she had been sweeping. "So, what is your deal? Has your grandmother given you any customer yet?"

Dizzy shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a witch here and there. Mostly, it's a lot of scrubbing, scouring, and sweeping." She stared at the pile of hair in distaste. "Lots and lots of sweeping."

"The old Cinderella treatment?" Mal guessed.

"Well, she's gone from wicked stepmother to wicked grandmother." Dizzy shrugged carelessly.

"That's not much of a leap," Mal muttered to herself. She strolled around a salon chair as a thought came to mind. "Hey, Dizzy, you used to do Evie's hair, am I right?"

"Yeah!" Dizzy beamed energetically as she smiled widely. "I thought of her little braids."

"Do you have any ideas for me?" Mal wondered.

Dizzy sized up Mal, pondering the possibilities. After making the short walk to her, she lifted a stand of Mal's blond hair. "The washed-out blond with purple tips? The best of no worlds."

Dizzy examined Mal's face thoughtfully. "Hmmm, you can't see where your face ends and your hair begin."

She gestured to a nearby chair, which Mal reluctantly sat in. She was starting to regret her decision. She shouldn't have said anything.

Dizzy snatched Mal's hand and peered at her fingernails. "Ugh!" She snarled her nose at the color. "What is this? Bored to Death pink?"

She spun Mal around and leaned against the chair. "Just how far can I go?" Dizzy smiled mischievously.

Mal smiled. "Honestly, the works." She said coolly as she shrugged carelessly. "I mean, whatever makes me feel like _me_, but way worse." Her green eyes started glowing, but Mal wanted to believe it was her doing it, not her light.

"Yay!" Dizzy cheered, excited for her first real customer. She rushed to a table just out of arms reach and lifted a pair of rusty garden shears. She opened and closed the blades twice to make sure they worked before spinning back toward Mal.

A nervous grin spread across Mal's face.

Dizzy went to work on Mal's new hair.

First, she dyed Mal's hair back to purple in the sink, used the garden shears to trim Mal's purple locks so it was even, and pinned up soda cans in Mal's new do. Then Dizzy had Mal sit under a dryer so that the dye could set while Dizzy applied a fresh coat of wickedly black polish to Mal's nails. Finally, Dizzy spun Mal around in her chair for the big reveal.

Mal dramatically stood out of the chair and peered into the cracked fragments of the shattered mirror on the wall.

Mal's new lavender hair reached past her shoulders, and her sparkling green eyes twinkled below new bluntly cut bangs. She beamed. It was undeniable now; she was the child of a villain . . . or two.

Dizzy gazed at her work, sporting the biggest smile imaginable.

"Heeey_._" Mal smiled approvingly. "_There_ I am."

She turned back to Dizzy, who cheered, "Voilà!"

"Voilà." Mal pulled out a couple dollars from her pocket and held it out to her

Dizzy clutched her chest in disbelief. "For _me?_" she wondered incredulously. Money like that was rarely seen on the Isle.

Mal nodded encouragingly. "Yeah." Her smile turned more genuine. "You earned it."

With a happy giggle, Dizzy carefully took the money out of Mal's hand and skipped across the salon to the cash register to place the precious bills in there.

Before she even had time to open the register, Harry Hook slinked through the front door, towering over the cash register. "Fork it over, young runt," he demanded with his hand outstretched.

Dizzy froze, unsure of what to do. Mal stayed where she was, unnoticed by Harry. She didn't want to cause a scene just yet.

Dizzy slowly handed the cash to Harry. He tapped the register with his hook. "And the rest of it," he sneered.

Crestfallen, the young girl opened the register and handed Harry everything that was inside, though it wasn't much. She leaned over the cashier desk and rested her chin glumly on her hand.

"Thank you," he commented sarcastically as turned to go find another store to pillage.

"Still running errands for your 'Uma Darling'," Mal pipped up before he could leave, "or do you actually get to keep what you steal?"

Harry whirled around at the familiar voice. "Well, well, well," he grinned maliciously, his accent more noticeable. "What a nice surprise."

Mal rolled her eyes. "Hi, Harry."

Harry strolled toward her, but Mal's first instinct was to step back. "Just WAIT until Uma hears you're back." Harry let his eyes roam up and down her body. "She's never going to give back your old territory."

"Oh!" Mal pretended to pout for a moment. "That's okay," her pout turned into a smirk, "because I will be taking it."

"You know," Harry flicked Mal's new hairstyle with his hook, "I could hurt you."

Mal stepped out of his reach before he could try anything. "Not without her permission I bet."

Harry grinned mischievously as his eyes glinted. He strode to the door, but then he spun around, knocking the knickknacks off the cash register counter and onto the floor with his hook. With a crooked smile, he stormed out of the salon.

Dizzy rolled her eyes. "Great," she commented sarcastically. "More sweeping."

* * *

Jay, Ben, Evie, and Carlos crept down a set of stairs toward the royal limo waiting outside. Thanks to Evie's sewing skills and talent for design, Ben wore his new Isle-inspired outfit, which consisted of a distressed blue leather jacket with metallic studs, a blue beanie, blue fingerless leather gloves, blue pants, and dark bots.

In fact, the whole gang was in their Isle of the Lost attire, with Evie stunning in a blue leather jacket and matching skirt; Jay in red-and-blue velvet pants, a leather jacket, and a beanie; and Carlos in red-and-black pants, a leather jacket, and fingerless gloves.

They were ready for the Isle. It was not for the faint of heart. Their feet touched down on the pavement outside where the black stretch limo waited.

"Keys. Remote." Ben tossed them both to Jay. "Let's go."

"Wait," Evie ordered.

Everyone gathered at the foot of the stairs.

"Something's wrong," she insisted.

Everyone looked at her expectantly.

She stepped in front of Ben, pulled his beanie further down over his hair, ruffled his jacket, and smiled. "There," she said, satisfied.

Suddenly, Dude appeared behind them on the stairs. "Shot gun!" he said.

"Dude, no!" said Carlos. "Stay. The Isle is way too dangerous."

Ben, Evie, and Jay gawked at Dude.

"Did he just—" Jay trailed off on his question.

"Talk?" Carlos finished. "Yeah, I know. I'll tell you later."

Everyone stared at each other for a brief moment and shook their heads.

"Let's go," said Ben, determined to push through the shock of the talking dog.

In a haze, everyone climbed into the limo. Filled with buttons, gadgets, refreshments, and vast arrays of colorful sweets, it was the same one that had brought Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos to Auradon Prep. Jay and Carlos had tried their first-ever chocolate peanut butter cups in that very limo. But Jay had never driven it before. He smiled devilishly, grabbed the steering wheel, and hit the gas.

The limo rocketed away from the school.

* * *

Night fell over the Isle of the Lost as the limo rolled to a stop in an empty warehouse.

Jay, Carlos, Evie, and Ben jumped out of the vehicle and slammed the doors. Around them were splintered wooden shipping crates, old sheets in a stinking pile, walls of corroded corrugated metal, and slimy barrels.

There was also a huge rusty metal pipe turned tunnel going into a rock wall, leading to who knows where.

"Ben," Carlos called, running to the pile of sheets. "Help me with the tarp."

Ben and Carlos carried the tarp to Evie and Jay, and the four started to cover up the limo. After all, the car stood out like a shiny new penny in a garbage pile, and the friends didn't want to rouse any suspicious looks from possible passerby. That was the last thing they needed.

Evie looked around uneasily. "It's really weird being back," she told Jay.

"We'll get in and get out," he assured her.

"_Jay_." Carlos got his attention and tossed half the tarp over the top of the limo to his friend.

Jay, along with Evie, took it, and they finished making sure the limo was completely hidden.

As soon as they were finished, Ben suddenly perked up and rushed off before his friends could stop him. He skillfully weaved through a crowd of villains, duck through a couple alleyways, and was about to head down another, when Jay finally caught up with him, grabbing his arm to keep him from going anywhere.

Jay didn't look irritated, mainly confused. Dragging him to the nearest alleyway, Jay interrogated quietly, "How did you know where to go? You went the exact path we take to get to the hideout."

Ben hesitated as Evie and Carlos caught up to them. He couldn't let them know his and Mal's secret. Not yet.

"My parents taught me how to sense the light and darkness of other people," he fibbed. "Since I've been around Mal for so long, I can tell where she is since I'm familiar with her darkness."

The trio nodded slowly, somewhat convinced, yet finding it somewhat suspicious. Ben was just grateful that they didn't ask any further questions.

They continued on their path with Ben quickly taking the lead again, though he had to remind himself to slow down for them. Shortly, someone bumped into Ben, forcing them to stop.

That 'someone' was Gil, the oafish and youngest son of Gaston, who had been pilfering eggs from a merchant a few moments ago.

"Hey, man." Gil glared at Ben angrily. Then he did a double take. "Hey . . . I know you!"

"No." Ben shook his head in denial, shrugging and turning away so he couldn't see his face. "I don't know you either man—"

"Yeah you do." Gil grinned like a young child. "My dad is slick, quick, and his neck is incredibly thick."

Ben looked at him blankly, then exchanged glances with his friends.

"Come on, man. You're—" Gil, in his yellow gloves, pointed at a poster of King Ben on the alley wall that had RIDE WITH THE TIDE spray-painted over in black paint. Then Gil pointed to Ben. Then he did that a few more times until it all began to sink in. He was a little slow, to say the least. "Whoa! You're King Ben!" Gil exclaimed.

"Let's go." Evie guided Ben past Gil with Jay and Carlos flanking them.

"Yeah, you totally are King Ben!" cried Gil, watching as they passed. "And you're Jay, Carlos, Evie—hey guys!" Then his expression set into a huge oafish grin. "Uma's gonna love this!"


	22. Descendants 2: Chapter 5

**This chapter has one major change involving the interaction between Mal and Ben. The rest of the chapter can be skimmed over.**

* * *

Before long, Jay, Evie, Ben, and Carlos arrived at the foot of the bridge hideout—also known as Ben's house—where they knew they would find Mal. Ben just happened to notice her brand new scooter lying on its side under the stairs. He inspected its beat-up, graffitied varnish in surprise and guilt. He had never imagined his gift would take her back to the Isle without him.

Meanwhile, Jay grabbed a rock and lobbed it at the sign. He and the others expected for the gate to glide up, but it didn't move an inch.

"Wish me luck!" Ben shouted down, but instead of waiting on a response walked to his home.

"Good luck," Evie called quietly, though it was very meek and not as hopeful as she wanted it.

Watching him vanish, Jay, Evie, and Carlos leaned sat, prepared to wait for however long it took.

* * *

Inside the shoddy tower, Ben climbed the passage-way toward the sound of hissing spray paint.

He stopped on the platform, smiling faintly at the grimy, dank vibe. He followed the noise down a flight of steps into the hideout. Ben gazed at the graffitied walls fondly. There were some portraits of Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. There was one picture of Uma, but it looked like Mal had sprayed a giant red 'X' over it a long time ago.

Ben continued to make his way further into the room, but suddenly stopped short.

There she was, his Mal, dressed in her punk Isle clothing and her hair dyed a lighter shade of purple.

She stood on an old trunk facing a portion of the ginormous wall. She worked furiously on a painting that covered a small section of the wall. Ben's heart sank at the image, despite how beautiful it was.

The painting was that of a Keyblade Master's memorial grave, who happened to be close friends with Professor Yen Sid. The Master had died when he fought against his student, who had only been trying to protect his friend. It wasn't until nearly thirteen years after his death that a grave was made for him by his three students using his old Keyblade and their wayfinders.

Ben quietly approached Mal, trying his best not to frighten her. "At least I don't see a picture of me with horns and a picture," he joked.

Mal whirled around, probably giving herself whiplash. Ben's breath caught in his throat. Mal looked so . . . _beautiful_, more than she ever did when dressed like an Auradonian.

"Ben," she whispered in surprise, though if it was on purpose, Ben couldn't tell.

He took another step toward her, but Mal held out her hand, motioning for him to stop.

Ben obediently halted in place. "Mal, I'm so sorry about our fight," he apologized. "It was all my fault. I should have been more considerate." He held out his gold beast-head ring. "Please, come home."

Mal hopped down off the trunk, hanging her head solemnly. She tossed the spray paint can into a rusty shopping cart with a clatter. "Ben," she began softly as she stopped in front of Ben, leaving some space between them. "This is my home."

Ben smiled warmly at her, hoping he could convince her otherwise. "I brought the limo. It's a sweet ride."

Mal gazed at the ring for a moment before folding her arms. "I don't fit in. I really tried, Ben. I _really_ gave it a shot. And if you think I can change, I think you're _wrong_."

"Then _I'll _change," Ben suggested. "I'll skip school. I'll blow off some of my responsibilities—"

"Hold on." Mal stepped forward to take his hand, the one he had been hiding behind his back without realizing it. He hadn't noticed, but his entire arm was covered in a familiar purple and black glow.

"Your darkness is growing," she deduced with a shake of her head. "It's spreading faster than I thought it could. You need to get off the Isle before it consumes you."

"I'm not leaving the Isle without you," Ben argued. "I love you."

Mal stared at Ben in silence as she felt him slip his ring into her hand. She wasn't quite sure what to say.

"Don't you love me?" He questioned quietly.

Mal took his ring and placed it back in his hand, closing it softly. "I have to take myself out of the picture, because it's what's best for you and it's what's best for Auradon."

Ben took a step toward her. "Mal, please."

Mal put a hand on his chest to stop him. "You need to go before you get worse," she warned. She stepped up on the trunk and faced the wall. Sensing he was still there, she turned to face him. "Ben, please go. Please leave."

Ben hung his head and slowly backed out of the room until he was out of sight.

Mal collapsed to the ground. She held her hand over her mouth to muffle her cries as the tears flowed freely, not caring that her light was out of control.

* * *

Outside their hideout, Carlos, Jay, and Evie stirred as they heard Ben heading down the enormous stairs.

The gate slid up, allowing Ben enough time to walk out before the gate started closing behind him. "She's not coming back," he announced sadly. Ben walked past his shocked friends and down the abandoned alleyway to clear his head.

Evie's mouth was agape. "What?" she exclaimed. "There's no way."

Carlos and Jay exchanged alarmed looks.

"I'll take to her," Evie insisted, though she already knew it would be useless. She rushed to the gate, but it slammed shut in front of her. She was a moment too late. She hurried to the call horn instead and spoke into it.

"M? Mal?" She paused just in case Mal would say something. "We need to talk."

Inside the hideout, Mal pulled a giant lever to lock the gate, just like she did before. Her strangled voice sounded through the horn. "_Go away, E!"_

Evie, Jay, and Carlos looked at each other, at a loss. They weren't sure what they were going to do now.

Jay rested a hand on Evie's shoulder in encouragement. "Let's give her a couple of hours to cool off," he suggested.

Carlos gazed down the alley, which fluttered with torn rags, when noticed something. "Guys!" he shouted.

Jay and Evie gathered beside him. "What?" Evie wondered.

Carlos strained his neck to look farther down the dark path. After a few moments, he asked urgently, "Where's Ben?"

Evie peered down the dim alley. "Ben?" she called out. There was no answer so she called again, "Ben?"

Suddenly a dark silhouette strolled them. The person—most likely male—had his hands in his coat pocket with his head hunkered down.

"Ben!" Evie shouted in alarm. "Don't scare us like that!"

The figure stepped closer into the light, but it wasn't Ben. This man's hair was cut slightly shorter than Ben's and was much darker, but it was just as wild. The man's coat reached well past his knees with the color being a deep red.

"Don't scare you?" Harry Hook cooed almost psychotically. He grinned deviously. "But that's my specialty."

Evie glared at him. "Harry," she almost whispered.

Jay stalked toward him. "What did you do with Ben!" he demanded.

"Hmmm?" Harry pretended to act clueless before his eyes lit up. "Oh! We nicked him." He motioned to the dark alley. "Yeah, and if you ever want to see him again, have Mal"—he pointed to the hideout— "come to the chip shop tonight." He gestured to the trio with his hook. "Alone. Uma wants a little visit."

Harry smiled viciously, loving the looks of worry they each had. He landed his sights on Jay. "Aww, Jay." Harry pouted before his expression turned evil. "Seems like you've lost your touch!"

Jay lunged at him, and probably would have beaten him half to death if Evie hadn't held him back.

Harry laughed, though he had his arms up in defense. He looked at Carlos, who stared at him like he was insane. "Arf!" Harry barked, trying to scare Carlos. Everyone knew about his fear of dogs. Carlos simply stared at him some more.

Harry grinned and strolled down the alley, whistling as he went.

Jay shook his head in anger before he started to climb up the side of the wall, Evie and Carlos soon following his lead.

* * *

Inside their hideout, Mal had just been told what transpired moments before. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was agape by shock.

"If you guys never had brought Ben back, this never would have happened!" She scolded angrily. "What were you thinking?"

"M, he was going to come with or without us." Evie insisted, trying to defend herself and the boys. "We wanted to protect him."

"Yeah, which we _blew_," Carlos added as he threw his arms up in defeat.

"Okay," Jay snapped to stop the arguing. He turned his attention to Mal and asked, "So, what are we going to do?"

"_We_ aren't doing anything," Mal insisted, stepping down in front of her friends. "This is between Uma and me. She's a punk and now I have to go get him."

She grabbed her leather-studded backpack from the dusty old couch. She could practically feel the weight of her spell book inside. _Wish I could use it here to get us out of this mess_, she thought disdainfully. _Dumb Auradon rules strike again._

"Wait Mal." Carlos stepped in front of her before she could leave. "If you go by yourself, you'll have to go through Harry Hook and his wharf rats."

"Exactly," Jay agreed. "You're going to need us, M."

Mal shook her head defiantly. "Uma said to come alone."

Evie placed her hands on her hips as she prepared to argue. "Mal, come on."

"She said to come alone," Carlos repeated, finally seeing Mal's side of things. Carlos shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jay sighed in defeat. "We'll be here when you get back," he promised.

* * *

In the late evening in her stained-up apron, Uma emerged from the kitchen in Ursula's Fish and Chips, carrying a tray of fish and chips in each hand.

With a disgruntle sigh, Uma carelessly dropped one of the trays onto the long wooden table in front of an old woman pirate who wore a dress made from a potato sack. The fish and chips flew off tray on the impact, landing on the dirty table that Uma will have to scrub clean in a couple short hours.

"Hey!" The angry customer shouted, turning in her stool to look at Uma. "I wanted the fried clams!"

The other diners glanced up from their tables at the outburst.

Uma wheeled menacingly on the customer. "And I wanted a sea pony," she retorted before angrily shouting, "Life ain't fair!"

As Uma strolled across the diner to roughly slide the other tray of food onto a table, she heard the dingy green doors of the restaurant creak open. She looked up and a devious smile spread across her face.

Mal—the daughter of Maleficent—stood in the doorway acting all high and mighty.

"I'm baa-ack." Mal sang flatly, almost like she didn't care.

Uma tried not to roll her eyes. I, Maleficent did the same thing when she crashed Ben's coronation. As the saying goes, like mother like daughter.

"Loser, party of one," Uma greeted snidely. She gestured toward an empty table in the middle of the room. "Right this way, please."

As Mal approached said table, Uma kicked a chair toward her. Mal was quick enough to catch it by its back. She turned it around sat down in it in front of the table. Uma crossed her arms stubbornly, watching Mal like a shark about to feast on its prey.

Mal gazed around the restaurant for a few moments. "Place still stinks," Mal noted.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Uma apologized with feigned concern. "We're down a butler today," she scoffed, "_princess_."

"Where is he?" Mal demanded.

Uma plucked off her soiled apron and carelessly let it drop onto the floor. "You know, I've dreamed of this," Uma admitted with a smile. Her expression hardened as she started to pace in front of Mal. "_You_, needing something from _me,_ and me watching you squirm like a worm on a hook."

Mal gave her a small smile. "I'm so flattered that you dream of me." Her eyes sparkled with something mischievous. "I haven't given you single thought since I left."

Uma slammed her hand on the table, causing the customers to jump at the sound and pay attention to the scene. "Obviously," she commented through gritted teeth. Uma glared at Mal, lowering her face so that she was inches from Mal's. "You have your perfect little life, don't you?"

Uma walked around the table, before shouting to her customers, "Doesn't she have the perfect little life?"

They angrily shouted back in reply, which was exactly what she wanted them to do.

"While we're twenty years into a garbage strike," Uma scoffed.

"Listen," Mal began, "if you have some score to settle with me, game on!" She challenged. "I see no need to bring Ben into this."

Uma laughed. "It may be unnecessary to you, but it is _so_ much fun." She moved her face close to Mal's again and smiled. "Here's the deal."

Mal raised her eyebrow slightly. "Just like your mother. Always a catch."

Uma rolled up her sleeve, sat across from Mal, and rested her elbow onto the table like she was about to arm wrestle. "If you win," Uma shrugged carelessly, "Ben is free to go."

Mal smiled, seeming to like the idea of the challenge. She rested her elbow on the table as the diners got up from their tables to crowd around them.

Uma tilted her head slightly in curiosity before asking innocently, "Don't you want to know what I get if I win?"

"Still dreaming," Mal scoffed as they clasped their hands.

Uma smirked. "You know, as I recall, your mother thought she had things all sewn up too." She leaned forward slightly. "How'd that work out for her again?"

Mal's mouth hanged slightly agape at the question.

"On three," Mal decided.

"One," Uma counted with a smile.

"Two," Mal continued flatly, portraying zero emotion.

"Three," they said in unison.

Uma and Mal began to arm wrestle, not taking their eyes off each other. Their arms started to quiver but it was anybody's guess on who would win. After all, they were an even match.

"You know, that whole princess act?" Uma wondered as she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, never bought it for a second. You can stick a tiara on a villain"—she paused to give Mal a onceover— "but you're still a villain."

"And you can throw a pirate hat on, but you're still Shrimpy." Mal feigned a gasp, acting like she said the name by accident.

Uma faltered for a split second, but regained control a moment later.

Mal's eyes flashed bright green, deciding to use her light to gain the upper hand. Mal managed to push Uma's hand down so it was mere inches from the table. Mal smiled in pre-victory while Uma struggled to maintain a lead.

"If I win," Uma began through bared teeth, pushing against Mal with all her might, "you bring me the wand."

Mal gawked at the demand. The green light drained from her eyes just as quick.

Uma rammed Mal's arm down hard onto the table before the fairy could regain her strength. Mal gasped, surprised that so close to winning, she lost. To Uma, of all people.

Uma howled with laughter as she stood and threw her hands up victoriously. The pirates cheered around them.

Once the celebration died down, Uma hunched over the table to glower at Mal. "Now, if you want beasty boy back, bring Fairy Godmother's magic wand to ship tomorrow at noon. _Sharp!_" Uma began to walk away, but then a thought came to mind. She turned back to Mal. "Oh, and if you blab, you can kiss Ben good-bye."

Uma sauntered off and left Mal shaking her head. Losing to Uma had _not_ been part of Mal's plan. She could tell Ben was near her, but now there was nothing she could do.

* * *

Inside their hideout, Mal relayed the dire news to her friends.

Carlos had been seated at the desk. Jay was sprawled out on the couch while Evie stood behind him. They watched Mal pace back and forth, silently fearing that she'd have another panic attack at any moment.

"Well, there's _no_ way we're going to give Uma the wand," Evie insisted, trying to keep her friends from thinking of doing such a thing. "Are you kidding, like we're just going to let her _destroy_ Auradon?" She threw her hands up in aggravation.

"We don't give Uma the wand and Ben is toast," Carlos reminded.

"Yeah, what other option do we have now?" asked Jay.

"So, we give Fairy Godmother's wand to _Uma_, or all people—" started Evie.

Mal stopped walking and held out her hands for them to be silent. "You guys!" she shouted.

They quieted down and gave her their attention.

Mal gestured to Carlos. "Your 3-D printer." She reminded. "Is there any way that you could—"

"Create a phony wand," Carlos finished with a snap of his fingers. "In my sleep!"

"The second Uma tests it, she'll know it's fake," Evie rebutted.

"Okay." Mal paused to think about it for a few moments. "So, we just get Ben out really fast. We will need some kind of diversion."

"Smoke bombs!" Jay insisted. "They're small enough to keep hidden and the pirates won't see it coming."

Mal pointed at him and nodded in agreement.

"Perfect!" Evie encouraged, walking over to Mal. "I can get the chemicals I need at Lady Tremaine's place." She stopped in front of Mal. "Oh, and sick hair, by the way," she complimented, lightly touching it. "Wicked stepmom's _seriously_ stepped up her game!"

"Do you want to know something?" Mal questioned rhetorically as she moved her hair over to one shoulder. "_Dizzy_ did this!"

Evie gasped and smiled proudly. "_Little Dizzy? _Shut up!"

Carlos rested his face in his hand while Jay walked over to join him. This conversation could go on forever if the boys don't interrupt it soon.

"I know, and I'm, like, seriously loving it!" Mal ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm, like, really proud of her!" Evie said.

"Right?" Mal agreed. "It feels a lot lighter now."

Jay nudged Carlos and cleared his throat to grab the girl's attention.

"Uhhh, _helloooo_!" Carlos called out, as a second attempt to get them to snap out of it.

Mal and Evie turned to him and Jay.

"Right," Evie muttered quietly, realizing they should get back on track.

Mal clapped to get herself back to planning mode. "Okay. Jay. Carlos. You meet us at Pirate's Cove no later than noon," she ordered sternly. "And guys, losing is not an option." She looked gravely from Evie to Jay to Carlos. "Because we're rotten . . ."

"To the core," the friends said in unison.


	23. Descendants 2: Chapter 6

**This chapter can be skimmed over. There are only a couple references, the main one being Ben on the ship.**

* * *

Morning loomed on the Isle quicker than either girl wanted it too. In the past few hours, Mal and Evie had transformed the salon into a laboratory.

They wore plastic gloves and stood beside the dye-streaked bathtub and percolating glass vials. Evie mixed vibrant powders as Mal funneled them into the shower caps, which tied off. Dizzy sat at her table, crafting her fashion accessory.

Evie picked up Dizzy's headband and held it over her head. "M, how amazing would this look with my shredded tee and heart purse?"

"Very amazing," Mal complimented sincerely.

"Take it," Dizzy told Evie as she stood happily. "Take a bunch!"

"Dizzy!" squealed Evie, overjoyed at her generosity.

Dizzy grabbed a handful of barrettes, headbands, and wraps from her table and raced to Evie, who held open her red purse.

"Oh my gosh!" Evie exclaimed with a wide smile as her purse was filled with the accessories. "Dizzy, thank you so much!"

"It would make me so happy to know you were wearing something of mine in Auradon," Dizzy commented. "Almost like me being there myself."

The smile faded from Evie's face as she pulled Dizzy in for a hug. She sighed in reluctance. "I wish I could take you with me," Evie muttered in despair.

"At least one of us had her dream come true, right?" Dizzy smiled brightly.

Mal dropped the last of the shower-cap smoke bombs into her backpack, right alongside her trusty old spell book. "E, we gotta go."

Evie and Dizzy looked at each other again, not wanting to say goodbye. Dizzy bowed in respect and skipped cheerfully back to her table. Evie could barely take her eyes off Dizzy. She and Mal headed to the door with Mal's backpack full of smoke bombs and then turned back one last time to look at Dizzy.

They watched as Dizzy opened Evie's sketchbook and lovingly flip through it.

"She'll be okay." Mal assured Evie.

Evie nodded. "Yeah," she agreed quietly. "But she could be so much more."

Mal reached out her hand for Evie to take. "Let's go."

With reluctance, Evie took her hand. They ducked through the plastic panels and out the front doors of the salon.

* * *

Mal and Evie made their way through the decrepit alleys of their childhood.

Her arm linked with Mal's, Evie smiled at her friend as they walked down a dark lane. "Do you remember coming here while our moms fought over the best way to poison a princess to take her hearts?"

"Yeah! Apple or spindle? That one was epic. That went on for actual days." Mal chuckled at the memory.

"Like it mattered, right?" Evie sighed. "Those Keyblade wielders saved their hearts and the poison was undone by True Love's Kiss."

"Works every time!" Evie and Mal chanted in unison, breaking into laughter.

They slowed in front of the entrance to the bridge hideout.

"I really thought that's what you and Ben had," Evie commented. She looked at Mal with concern. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Mal's smile vanished as quickly as it had arrived. "I'm not coming back, E."

Evie looked long and hard at Mal and unhooked her arm to face her.

"I really tried to tell you," Mal argued.

Evie sighed and leaned against a support beam.

"I . . . just . . . I don't know," said Mal. "I saw your face and how it lit up and how incredibly happy you were that first day that we went into your room, and I couldn't—I could _not_ spoil that for you."

Mal remembered when she and Evie had first entered their dorm room at Auradon Prep. At the sight of the room, dappled in sunlight, with the flowery curtains fluttering gently in the fresh breeze, Evie had squealed with delight as she took in their new home. But Evie had tried to hide her excitement to match Mal's disgust and the two of them together had closed the frilly pink curtains and plunged the dorm into darkness.

Mal knew that if Evie and she were to follow their hearts, what Evie wanted was light. Mal wasn't sure what she wanted

Evie sighed, knocking Mal out of her thoughts. "Well, if you're staying here, then I'm staying with you."

"No," Mal denied, wincing. "Evie—you are an Auradon girl. And I am, and always will be, the girl from the Isle." Mal picked up a rock, chucked it at the sign.

Walking toward the steps, Evie follow Mal up into the hideout. They ducked under the gate right when it was about to close.

Evie and Mal climbed the flight of steps in silence. Evie stopped on a landing and looked out over the Isle. Mal stood beside her at the railing. They looked at each other, taking a moment to accept that in the end, they belonged in different worlds.

They knew they would meet again.

Even if it was in the space between.

* * *

It seemed to be just another bleak windy day at Pirate's Cove.

The wharf bustled with patchy pirates, sullied scalawags, and mumbling merchants. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. But despite appearances, that day was different. For at the bottom of the decaying multilevel pier, there was a captive inside the old pirate ship with dark octopus insignia on the sails and young pirates patrolling the deck. It was none other than Ben, who had been tied to the mainmast

Harry Hook leaped onto the main deck and landed in front of Ben. He put his face close to Ben's. "Coochy coochy coooo," he teased, grazing Ben's chin with the curve of his sharp hook. Harry laughed. "How's it feel to be king now, eh?"

Ben didn't answer. He merely clenched his fist to keep his darkness in check. According to some pirates, the water around the boat was acting strangely. The waves were more powerful, rocking the boat more than it had in years. Ben couldn't help feeling that _he_ was the cause behind it.

Harry made a move to lunge at the king, but Uma suddenly strolled up and carelessly pushed him aside. "Ugh," she groaned. "Give it a rest, Harry."

She sat on a trunk in front of Ben and watched him carefully. "We don't want damaged goods," Uma chided.

Harry hung by an arm from salt-encrusted rigging rope like a monkey. Pointing his hook menacingly at Ben's neck, Harry snarled at Uma, "_You_ said I could hook him."

"I said at _noon_," Uma corrected with a small smile.

Harry hopped down from the rigging rope with a soft thud. Stepping beside Ben, pressing his face close to the king's once again, Harry dangled his father's—Captain Hook's—silver pocket watch by his cheek. "Twenty more minutes," he announced.

Ben glanced at the watch before raising an eyebrow in amusement. "It says eleven-thirty."

Harry leered at Ben with his light eyes bulging in anger.

Uma leaned back slightly, almost like she was afraid that Ben could escape at any moment. "You better hope your girlfriend comes through."

Ben stared down at a wooden board, feeling his darkness increasing slightly as he muttered sadly, "She's not my girlfriend anymore."

"Hmmm," Uma hummed in thought. She turned her head to her first mate. "Harry, leave us alone."

Harry checked his father's clock and strolled up to Ben. "Nineteen minutes to go," he taunted. He slid the watch over Ben's shoulder threateningly, then twirled it on its silver chain as he walked away, leaving Ben and Uma alone.

Ben sighed in a small attempt to regain some control. "Look," he began. "I get that you don't deserve this—"

Uma cackled. "_This_?" She leaned back on her elbows. "This island is a prison, thanks to _your father_. And don't pretend to look out for me. _No one_ is looking out for me." She moved her braids behind her ear. "It's just me."

"This isn't your mother's plan?" Ben wondered. "Isn't that her necklace?" He nodded, indicating the gold shell hanging from Uma's neck on a chain.

Uma let out a laugh and shook her head. "She doesn't care about me, either. Well," she sighed, "not unless she needs someone for the night shift."

"Ouch," Ben commented sympathetically.

"I don't need your pity." Uma spat as she looked away from him.

"No, you certainly don't," Ben agreed. "You're very resourceful." He smiled at her. "I don't see _you _tied up."

Uma stood up and stepped in front of Ben. She crossed her arms. "Alright, let's trash-talk Mal," she said with a devilish grin.

"I'd rather talk about you," Ben said kindly.

Uma laughed. "Oh, funny _and_ a gentleman. I really hope I don't have to feed you to the fishes."

"You don't," Ben agreed. "Set me free and we'll go back together."

Her eyes widened in surprise, but then suddenly realized his game. "Oh, so _now_ I get an invite?" Uma questioned as she began to laugh. "Gee, I wonder why."

She brought her face inches from Ben's, trying to be as intimidating as possible. "When you brought Mal," she rolled her eyes, "Evie, Carlos, and Jay to Auradon, that's as mad as I've ever been in my life. And _believe me_, I've been plenty mad." She tapped Ben's cheek a few times and turned away from him. She folded her arms across her chest once again as she attempted to control her increased heartbeat.

"I never thought that I could have hurt the people that weren't picked," Ben admitted, looking at the back of Uma's pirate hat.

She whipped around and unfolded her arms. She was all ears.

"My plan was to start with four kids and then bring more people over, but I—but I guess I was busy being king." Ben scoffed at himself. "That sounds lame."

He glanced up to look at Uma, who's expression softened during his monologue. "I'm _so_ sorry," Ben apologized sincerely.

Uma merely nodded, not trusting her voice.

"You're a leader, Uma." Ben insisted in his most confident tone. "So am I." He leaned forward as best as he could while still being chained up. "Come to Auradon," he requested, "and be part of the solution."

Uma glared at Ben, looking at him dead in the eye. Despite how convincing he could be, Uma wasn't going to cave. "_Me_," she repeated as she stepped forward. "Part of your solution?"

Ben gazed at her for a long hopeful moment, wishing she would just cave.

"Hmmm." Uma pretended to think about it for a few moments before shaking her head. "Nah," she denied. "I don't need _you_." She jabbed a finger at Ben's chest. "I'm gonna get there on my own."

She held up her mother's necklace. "And see what this puppy can do," she added.


	24. Descendants 2: Chapter 7

**Guess what?**

**Our special guest makes an appearance.**

* * *

Mal and Evie impatiently waited in the noxious alley outside the rusty pipe tunnel that led to the Pirate's Wharf. They arrived a few minutes early, hoping the boys would be waiting on them. Instead, they were standing around when time was ticking.

Mal was particularly on edge. She could sense Ben's darkness growing stronger and stronger by the second. Evie didn't seem to notice it, so hopefully no one else had either.

Soon enough, the royal limo rolled up in front of them just five minutes before the deadline. Once the limousine came to a stop Jay hoped out of the driver side while Carlos got out from the back. The passenger door swung open and out came Lonnie, ready for a fight.

"I'll grab the swords," Jay informed Lonnie as she closed the door behind her.

He raced to the trunk with Carlos while Lonnie jogged to a surprised Mal and a shocked Evie.

Lonnie smiled at their reactions. "I made them bring me," she insisted as she hugged Mal.

"Oh!" Mal pulled away from Lonnie with a smile. "I'm so glad."

Lonnie hugged Evie briefly. "Welcome to the Isle," Evie greeted after they pulled away from one another. "It's good to see you."

"We brought swords too!" Carlos called to the girls as Mal slipped on the gloves over the one she wore.

Jay opened the trunk of the limo and pulled out the quiver of swords. Once he did, he accidentally revealed Dude, who peeked up from under a blanket.

"And, Dude," Jay added in surprise.

"I told you to stay!" Carlos scolded his furry companion.

"I flunked obedience class," Dude retorted matter-of-factly.

"Great," Jay rolled his eyes dramatically. "He can still talk."

Carlos sighed. "You're lucky I love you. Come on." He lifted Dude from the trunk and set him on the ground while Jay slammed the trunk shut.

"Oh, let me see," Mal requested as she held out her hand. Carlos handed the fake wand to her. She inspected it closely. It looked identical to the real wand. "Wow." She twirled it in her hands. "What a beauty. She handed it back to Carlos before she turned to all her friends. "Alright, are we ready?"

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Yeah." Evie held up Mal's backpack, which contained the smoke bombs that would cover their retreat, or most likely escape.

"Let's do this." Mal turned purposefully and led her friends into the pipe tunnel as their acting leader.

As Carlos took his first step into the tunnel, he turned back to Dude. "Stay!" He ordered, pointing the fake wand at the dog. "I mean it!"

Dude, who was seated beside the limo, wagged his tail innocently. He watched Carlos vanish into the pipe tunnel to catch up with his friends.

Waiting 'til the count of three, Dude quietly followed behind him.

* * *

On the deck of the ship, Uma and Harry were by Ben's side.

Harry pointed his hook at Ben's neck, then watched his clock. It was seconds away from noon. There were pirates perched on the rigging and rails of the ship. In the crow's nest, Gil scanned the cliffs.

Harry checked his clock again. The minute hand struck noon. Harry grinned, scanning the rock cliffs and the pirate-filled pier—a series of wooden torch-lit platforms and steps leading down to their pirate ship.

"Hey, guys!" Gil called to the pirates below. "They're here!" Gil started to climb down from the crow's nest.

Sure enough, Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Lonnie emerged from the rusty pipe tunnel that came out of the cliff side, and marched across that connected the pipe to the pier. Mal was leading the pact, followed by Evie, Jay, and Lonnie with Carlos trailing behind.

They walked down the steps, passing pirates who strolled by, fished, or hung up clothing on lines to dry. Wooden signs that said things like HOOK'S INLET, THIEVES' MARKET, and MISERY ROCK pointed every which way, and alligator-infested waters frothed below them in the dark mist. The pirate ship was waiting.

Uma turned to her crew and smiled wickedly. "Let's get this party started."

Mal reached the bridge that connected the pier to the pirate ship. It was a rickety old thing, encrusted with brine. Below, sharp rocks and broken boardwalk beams jutted out of the roiling sea. Mal's friends stood behind her in a supportive huddle.

In front of her, on the ship, were dozens of ragtag pirates, made fierce by face paint and glinting swords. Uma clung to Ben's arm. He stood on a plank with both hands tied behind his back. Ben gazed at Mal, whose eyes narrowed at Uma. Mal stepped confidently onto the bridge, though it was shaking uncontrollably because of the powerful waves.

She knew Ben was the cause of it. They had to get him back to Auradon as soon as possible.

It would be the wand for the crown.

Uma walked farther out onto the bridge toward Mal, eyeing the sparkly wand gripped in her closed fist. "Hold up," Uma commanded.

Mal waited impatiently, but she knew better than try anything.

"Too easy." Uma determined with a grin. "Give it a test drive! We want to see it work."

The pirates behind her on the ship jeered and exchanged smiles. Their captain was a clever one.

Mall rolled her eyes dramatically. "Wow, you always were such a drama queen."

Uma's grin vanished and was replaced with a sneer. She sheathed her sword. "Nothing too big," she threatened, "or else Ben is fish bait!"

Harry lowered Ben by his jacket even more.

"We're dead," Carlos muttered to his friends. But then Evie leaned in and whispered something to Carlos: "Dude."

Mal spun around to look at her friend in terror; then Carlos nodded to the side, toward where Dude was sitting on the pier. "Okay." Mal turned. She pointed the fake wand at Dude. "_Although it seems absurd, turn your bark into a word!" _Mal incanted.

Dude stared at her.

It was quiet except for the crashing of the tumultuous sea. Mal and Uma glared at each other until Mal wheeled on Dude. "Talk, dog!"

"Does this vest make me look fat?" Dude whispered nervously.

Uma's face broke into a smile. The leering pirates behind her nodded and nudged one another, beaming and mumbling among themselves excitedly.

Uma turned toward Mal, revealing that a wicked snarl had replaced her smile. "Give me the wand!" Uma barked as she put her palm out.

Mal drew the fake wand toward herself. "Give me Ben!" she shouted back at Uma.

Uma glanced at Harry, who was still holding Ben over the side of the plank. "Harry," she called as she nodded toward the traitors. "Bring him over."

Disappointed, Harry yanked Ben off the plank and dragged him toward the bridge.

Things happened in quick succession. Once they reached Mal, Harry kicked Ben to his knees and drew his sword. Uma held out her hand for the wand again. Mal held out her hand for her king.

"Cut him loose," Uma commanded her first mate.

Harry sighed. "I never get to have any fun," Harry complained as he freed Ben.

Ben grabbed Mal's hand. The instant he did, the shaking stopped and the waves subsided. Uma laughed, thinking it was Mal's darkness that caused the whole thing. "Looks like somebody is happy to get their beasty boy back," she teased.

As Ben started to stand, Uma placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, letting him know he shouldn't get up so fast; not until she had what was owed to her. Uma bore daggers into Mal's eyes. Mal handed the fake wand to her. Uma couldn't help grinning once she had the wand in her possession. Ben quickly leaped up beside Mal, and they slunk off the bridge.

Uma retreated to the ship, where the other pirate swarmed around her and celebrated their victory with cheerful growls. She pointed the fake wand high overhead. "_By the power of the sea, tear it down and set us free!_" She incanted.

She thrust the wand at the magical barrier as the pirates grinned and roared. Nothing happened. Her smile faded.

"No!" Uma screamed, realizing she had somehow been tricked. She slammed the fake wand over her knee, breaking it in two. "You do _not_ get to win every time!" She yelled at Mal and her friends, who were halfway up the pier. Uma regarded her crew. "Get them!"

"Now!" shouted Mal.

Carlos used his slingshot to launch a smoke bomb, which exploded in a thick colorful cloud. The pirates ducked and fell back, but were quickly up again. Carlos chucked another smoke bomb to buy some more time.

"Go!" Uma ordered her pirates.

They roared in anger and swarmed past Uma, who stood furiously glowering at Mal and her friends.

Jay tipped a barrel that stowed the quiver of swords. He doled out swords to Evie, Lonnie, Mal, Ben, and Carlos. The friends took strong stances and braced themselves against the pirates, who were charging forward at full speed and swinging on ropes from the ship to the pier. They were out for blood.

In moments, Mal and her friends were battling the vicious crew.

Lonnie fought a pirate and disarmed him. Wanting a real fight, she said, "Here. Take mine," and offered her sword. The pirate grabbed it and struck at Lonnie. She ducked out of the way once, twice, three time, four times, and kicked the pirate, who flew backward onto a landing. Then she picked up her sword, thrust it in the pirate's direction to scare him, laughed, and ran, leaving him groveling on the floor.

Harry had leaped from the ship onto a ladder and landed facing Jay on the pier. He removed his pirate's hat and twirled his hair, sizing Jay up. He unsheathed his sword and swung. Jay dodged the blade. Soon Harry was swinging his hook, too. They parried and thrust, blade hitting blade. Harry pinned Jay against a wooden rail with his hook and sword locked on to Jay's sword.

In a few snakelike moves, Jay freed himself from the tangle and Harry down while yanking his hook right off his hand. Jay dangled the hook off his sword blade and held it out over the edge of the boardwalk, smiling. Harry extended his hand, but Jay let the hook slide off his blade and fall into the sea. Harry moved past him, ducked under the rail, and dove after it.

Being the captain of R.O.A.R. had come in handy.

Meanwhile, Mal had been knocking pirates' swords away with hers while Evie and Carlos did the same. Mal sent one pirate flying off the bridge and into the sea. She dodged a few more and ducked under others. _I've still got it_, she thought.

To be fair, most villain children were taught how to sword fight at a young age, just in case they ever got a chance to spar against a Keyblade wielder, or Master.

Finally, Uma strolled across the bridge toward her.

It was time for the two of them to battle now.

Uma swung her sword at Mal with every bit of strength she had. Mal blocked it with hers, again and again. Their blades quivered against each other, and their panting faces were inches apart, much like during their arm wrestling match.

"Hi!" Mal pressed her face closer to Uma's. "Miss me?" She smiled.

Uma sneered as she struck her sword against Mal's.

_Chop! _

_Chop!_

_Chop!_

"Come on!" Uma roared.

Mal and Uma swung swords. Blade hit blade. Their weapons collided in a perfect X—locked there, trembling. Uma grabbed Mal's forearm and pushed her backward, then pushed off her and spun, only to face her again. Uma swung, and Mal stomped on her blade and ground it under her boot, then ran up the steps. Uma followed right behind her, pirate sword poised in her hand.

"Uma!" cried Harry from the edge of the dock. He was dripping wet, holding the hook he had recovered.

Uma knelt and too her friend's hand, helping him drag his drenched body onto the dry wharf. Then she quickly tuned back toward the melee. "Mal's mine!" She took off with Harry following her hungrily.

Meanwhile, Evie fought another pirate. She blocked his sword with hers. "Nice scarf!" she complimented as she yanked it off his neck, him spinning to the floor. "It's mine now!"

While Ben leaped beside Evie and sword-fought with his own pirate, Evie dueled yet another one, disarming him—and herself accidentally. She threw a basket at him, and he flew back and out of sight.

Carlos yelled from the top of the pier, "Jay, start the car!"

Jay ran across the bridge with Lonnie following, and vanished into the pipe tunnel.

"Mal, come on!" Evie called to her friend.

Mal bolted up more steps of the multi-level pier until she finally reached the top and found herself face-to-face with Ben. "Ben!" she cried. "Ben, go!"

A drenched Harry, wielding his hook, leaped onto the platform and swung his sword at Ben, who ducked behind a ladder, grabbed Harry's arm, and held him in place. Then Ben tickled Harry's chin in a mocking way.

"Coochy coochy coo," Ben taunted.

Harry lunged at Ben with his hook, but Ben moved out of the way.

Uma raced up the steps and charged Mal, grinning maniacally. All her teeth showed. She struck Mal's sword again and again, with great agility and surprising strength, but Mal kept blocking her, nearly buckling under the blows. The roles may have been switched if Mal had used her light, but she refused to let the secret out now.

Uma glared at Mal and went in for the kill. Meanwhile, Harry charged Ben, about to strike. It looked like all was lost for Mal and her friends.

That is, until Evie chucked a smoke bomb into the crowd.

A purple cloud exploded, and all the pirates backed away, spluttering. It was just the diversion the friends needed.

"Let's go! Come on!" Evie grabbed a dazed Ben and dragged him away. The two ran across the bridge and into the pipe tunnel after Carlos,

Mal spun around in the entrance to the tunnel. Uma ran up and stopped short of the bridge. Mal looked across it into Uma's eyes, and grinned deviously. She tried kicking the bridge to give themselves a better chance to flee, but it wouldn't budge. Mal's expression quickly turned to worry as Uma's turned into victory.

As Uma took a single step forward, a monstrous beast zoomed past Mal and onto the bridge, separating the two girls.

Wait a second . . . that's not a beast. . . it's a Heartless!

But not just any Heartless; a Dark Thorn—

_Mal's_ Dark Thorn.

"Halo?" Mal questioned cautiously. "Is it you?"

The Heartless turned her head to look at Mal and purred happily as an answer. There was only one Heartless that Mal knew that purred like that, and that Heartless was Halo.

Mal kissed her forehead with no hesitation. "I love you," she confessed too easily. "I'll see you again. I promise."

Mal spared a glance at Uma before vanishing into the darkness of the tunnel. Across the divide, Uma glared haughtily, panting. She wheeled around, shouted, and marched past her crew to the ship.

* * *

Not far from the limo, Dude emerged from the pipe tunnel into the alley, followed by Carlos and Evie. The three hurried into the limo.

Ben ran out of the tunnel next, the spun around. "Mal!" he called out. His voice echoed off the rusty walls of the tunnel. He extended a hand into the darkness. Mal took it and stepped into the alley, rushing with Ben to the limo.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Lonnie urged Mal and Ben.

They hurriedly tossed their swords into the trunk and climbed into the vehicle. Ben immediately shut the door behind them, while Lonnie slammed the trunk closed and hopped into the passenger seat. She barely had enough time to close the door before the limo peeled out.

As they quickly sped through the streets of the Isle of the Lost, Mal turned around in her seat in a panic, realizing too late that she had dropped something as she hurried into the limo.

"My spell book!"


	25. Descendants 2: Chapter 8

**This is the last chapter that you can skim over for the retelling of Descendants 2.**

* * *

Ben and Mal were still trying to catch their breath when they made it to the outskirts of the Isle. They sat side by side, but with an empty space between them.

"I'm really sorry that things didn't turn out the way you wanted," Ben apologized.

Mal turned to look at him. She didn't know what to say because he was apologizing for something that was completely her fault. "I mean, as long as you're safe, that's . . ." Her voice trailed off.

A tiny smile formed on Ben's face. "At least I got to see the Isle again. They're my people too," he said, staring into space. "_Uma_ helped me see that."

Mal gaped at Ben with disbelief. "Ben, Uma _captured_ you."

"She's an angry girl . . . with a bad plan." He adverted his gaze to his fiancé. "Not so different from _you_ when you came to Auradon, Mal."

_Ouch. _Mal looked away, stung while Ben faced the window.

The only positive thing was Ben's darkness was finally under control while Mal's light was slowly dwindling down to almost nothing.

* * *

Soon the limo pulled past the Auradon Prep sign and the sleepy couple was shaken awake. After Jay parked the limo back in its usual spot, the five teens made their way across the sunny and cheerful campus.

Mal strolled with Ben at the back of the group. Evie, Carlos, and Dude were just a couple feet ahead of them while Jay and Lonnie led the way.

Lonnie adjusted the quiver of swords that were over her shoulder. "I'll return these to the gym before anyone notices."

"Yeah," Jay nodded in appreciation. "Thanks, Captain."

Lonnie grinned at the 'slip of the tongue', her eyes twinkling in satisfaction. "See you later!" She dashed off with an upbeat pace in her step.

Within a minute of returning, Jane appeared out of nowhere, wielding her trusty tablet. "Ben!" She called out as she approached the group. "There you are. Cotillion's tonight!"

She pulled Ben aside, away from Mal, and showed him the tablet. "This is the stained glass window for Mal. Isn't it beautiful? She's going to love it!" Jane squealed in delight.

"Hold on," Ben requested. He spoke to Mal. "Do you want to cancel?"

Mal gazed up at Ben as her mouth hanged open. She didn't answer as she tugged on her glove, which gave Ben the hint about her light.

Jane looked from Ben to Mal a few times. "Oh!" She exclaimed when she realized what was going on. "I can come back. But, you know, like really, really soon."

"No, no, no. Now's fine," Ben reassured Jane. After a beat, he leaned in toward Mal, resting a hand on her lower back, and whispered, "Do whatever you need to do." He gave Mal one last long glance before he walked off with Jane.

As Mal watched Ben walk off with Jane to talk last-minute details for the event, Evie tugged on her arm. "We need to talk," she demanded as she began to drag Mal aside.

Before they would walk far, Carlos shouted, "No."

Evie and Mal turned around to face him in surprise. "_No_?" Evie repeated in a tone that made it sound like she was ready to argue.

"No," he agreed. "You guys are always going off in a huddle, whispering all your girl-talk stuff, or whatever. Jay and I are tired of it." Carlos looked at Jay, hoping his friend would back him up.

"I'm not," Jay denied.

Carlos decided to ignore him. "We're your family, too," he told Mal. "We've been through a lot together. We're not stopping that now. So, everybody _sit_," Carlos ordered, dropping to the ground with Dude in his lap. With a sigh, Jay sat down next to him, with Evie and Mal following suit.

After a few silent moments, Carlos admitted, "I don't know how to start girl talk."

Evie giggled uncomfortably while Mal started to stare off in space.

Jay shrugged. "Whaddup?" he began in an attempt to break the ice.

"Well . . ." Mal started.

Her friends looked at her, being as patient as they can be.

"I'm a mess," she confessed, beginning to let loose all of her anguish. "Six months ago, I was stealing candy from babies, and now . . . everybody wants me to be the Lady of the Court. I can't keep up with the act."

"Then don't," Carlos insisted.

"See? This was dumb." Jay planted his hands in the grass and moved to stand.

"Maybe it wasn't," Evie argued.

Jay sank back down to hear the argument.

Evie took Mal's hand. "We're always going to be the kids from the Isle. I tried to forget it, but those are our roots. And we all did what we had to do to survive. But it made us who we are. And we're never going to be like anybody else here. And that's okay."

"And we can't fake it," Carlos added.

"Yeah," Mal agreed glumly, "especially without my spell book."

"If Ben doesn't love the real you," Carlos shrugged, "he's not the one."

Evie smiled. "I like that."

"Give him a chance," Carlos insisted.

Evie sighed. "I'm going to make some changes to your dress. And if you're up for it—only if you're up for it—it'll be waiting for you, okay?"

Evie released Mal's hand, grabbed her bag, and walked off with the boys.

However, Jay hung back and plopped down in front of Mal. "Come to Cotillion tonight," he requested. "If you can't stand another day here, I'll drive you back tomorrow myself."

Jay strolled off. Alone, Mal stared into the distance. If only she knew what her heart was telling her to do. She had known before. Why didn't she this time?

Or maybe she did.


	26. Descendants 2: Chapter 9

**This is the final chapter for retelling Descendants 2. The retelling for 'Escape from the Isle' will be posted some time tomorrow before the third movie airs. I promise that the retelling for Descendants 3 will be better than the retelling for Descendants 2, because I will actually take my time instead of rushing. There is a **_**lot**_** that I want to do for it.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The only event grander than Ben's coronation ceremony was Cotillion.

For starters, it was being held on a sleek white party yacht called _True Love_ that was docked in the marina. Auradon royal crests adorned either side of the yacht. Orbs of light hung from long cables strung over the deck. There were little round tables with lamps on them here and there, leaving plenty of room for people to dance. A set of stairs with a blue-and-gold-trimmed carpet led up to a stage. Everything looked incredible.

Party-goers boarded the yacht in front of roped off fans and paparazzi, and a few, including Evie and Doug, stopped to talk with news reporters in front of the step and repeat.

Evie wore a floor-length midnight-blue dress with black beading branching across it, a long blue cape, red gloves, and a thin gold choker featuring a red heart gem centerpiece. Her handbag was the shape of a poison apple with a bite taken out. And to top it all off, she wore Dizzy's ruby-studded hair ornament clipped neatly to the side of her bun. Evie struck pose after pose for the cameras.

News reporters held microphones up to her. "Evie, you look beautiful!"

"Thank you so much." She struck another pose.

"The dress is gorgeous! Did you design the barrette?"

"No, it's not my creation, actually," Evie denied with a smile. "Many of the hair accessories this evening are created by a fabulous new designer, _Dizzy of the Isle!_"

"Who's your date?"

"_This_ is my Doug." Evie extended a hand, to which Doug took and moved closer to her. "Dopey's son."

He stood by her in his tan suit and black bow tie, waving at the cameras.

* * *

Jane and Carlos descended the steps to the party deck, past bushels of colorful flowers in clusters of white, yellow, and blue, toward the table where people served fruit punch. Carlos was super fashionable, as usual, in red knee-length pants and a black-and-white leather jacket. Jane's gown was a long sparkling periwinkle dress with a magenta bow at the waist.

When Fairy Godmother spotted Jan with Carlos, her face lit up. "Jane! Jane, there you are, my dear one!" She made her way from the refreshments table to the dance floor, waving her magic wand and looking like a true fairy in a pale blue dress ad hooded cape tied at the neck with a pale silk bow. "Everything looks beautiful, my love, but we need to ladle out the punch before the sherbet melt—"

"Mom," Jane interrupted. She smiled brightly. "I have a date."

Fairy Godmother gasped and grinned. "A _date_?" When Jane nodded, her mother exclaimed, "_Really!"_

She glanced at Carlos for a moment before looking over the deck, searching. Carlos awkwardly looked around too.

Fairy Godmother rested a hand on his shoulder. "Do you have a date too?"

"Yeah." He gestured to Jane.

"Really!" Fairy Godmother smiled again.

Carlos laughed. "Yeah."

Fairy Godmother looked around again, not quite getting it. As the saying goes, like mother like daughter.

"Mom." Jane took Carlos's hands.

Fairy Godmother looked down at their intertwined hands. Then she looked up from Jane to Carlos, realizing. "Bibbiddi-bobbidi! _Ooh_!" she said with a great bit smile.

Carlos let out a little laugh. He gazed at Jane in the eyes and nodded toward the dance floor. "After you."

Jane walked off with Carlos, and they danced on the deck. He spun her and then kissed her hand. Evie and Doug were dancing there, too, along with Jay, who boogied with a group of girls.

Jay looked handsome in his red-and-gold leather suit jacket and crimson fingerless gloves. The girls swooned. He moved to dance with Lonnie, whose dress was actually a coral pink jumpsuit with a long open skirt.

The music stopped, getting everyone's attention. Young men in pale yellow suits lined the yacht's steps. In one unified motion, they lifted their trumpets and began playing fanfare.

All eyes turned to Lumiere at the top of the steps. He had thin gray hair that resembled the candelabrum he had once been enchanted to be. That night, he wore a white suit with gold epaulets and a pale gold bow tie. "The future . . . _Lady Mal_!" Lumiere announced.

Mal entered at the top of the staircase.

She looked stunning in her yellow dress bejeweled with blue gems, blue and yellow tulle, and a sparkling cape that trailed the ground behind her. Evie had edged up the look, adding a leather bracelet, boots, and a crown-esque hair ornament. Mal's purple hair was in a pretty side braid that snaked down her shoulder.

Mal gazed down at all the people silently watching her from the ship's deck.

The throng responded to Mal's purple hair with a murmur of surprise. Her friends drowned them out with their claps and cheers. Others joined in. Photographers turned all their video equipment on Mal.

Lumiere joined Mal at her side. "Work it, girl," he whispered.

Mal giggled. She surveyed the crowd again.

_Where is Ben?_

She descended the steps toward the deck as everyone applauded

Belle and Beast greeted Mal at the bottom of the stairs. Beats, in his royal-blue suit with gold sash and signature black bold-frame glasses, took Mal's trembling hand and carefully helped her down the rest of the stairs.

"Hi," Mal greeted, strangely comforted by him.

"Ben's on his way," Beast promised. "You look beautiful."

Belle wore a gold dress and a delicate crystal-encrusted gold crown. She also took Mal's hand and smiled lovingly. "So beautiful," she complimented. "I know we were shocked at first, but you—you were exactly what Ben needs." She was referring to the Family Day event, where Ben introduced Belle and Beast to Mal as his new girlfriend. The photographer had captured their shocked expressions upon hearing the news.

Beast gave Belle a little side hug. "And lucky for me, she doesn't go by first impressions," he joked. He, Belle, and Mal laughed, though Mal's laugh was nervous.

Evie could sense that Mal was apprehensive. In true best-friend fashion, Evie rushed to her side. "Hi!" She led Mal onto the deck. "How are you feeling?"

Mal looked at the cameras and guests. "I feel like I'm going to throw up," she admitted.

"It's okay," Evie reassured soothingly. "We're here for you."

Mal grabbed Evie's hands. More fanfare played. It was a great moment for the VKs. Mal and Evie beamed at each other.

Lumiere called out, "King Benjamin!"

Ben appeared at the top of the stair in a sleek royal-blue silk jacket with gold accents. The belt he wore had a gold beast-emblem buckle. His honey-brown hair was swept across his forehead under his thick gold crown, and his blue eyes sparkled like stars. He looked every bit a king.

Everyone applauded. Mal couldn't take her eyes off him. Ben nodded, and his eyes met Mal's. She smiled at him. He walked down the stairs and paused at the bottom.

"Go get him," Evie whispered to Mal.

Ben passed his parents without looking their way.

_Okay_ . . . Belle mouthed to Beast at the sight.

Ben stopped in front of Mal and bowed.

Mal bowed back at him the best that she could without losing her balance.

"Mal," Ben began , coming up from his bow, "I wish I had time to explain . . ." He turned around and looked toward the top of the stairs.

Mal smiled, thinking it had something to do with his conversations with Jane. Then her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The crowd gasped in shock.

Entering the grand staircase was the sea witch Uma, who glowed in a teal-and-gold mermaid-style dress.

Her gown was simply exquisite, with tiers of sea-colored tulle and delicate nets threaded into the pieces of the fabric. Her hair was up in a simple bun, no fancy hairstyle. She wore dark fingerless gloves and carried a turquoise clutch. Her gold shell necklace shimmered against her chest.

Uma smiled kindly at Ben as she walked down the steps to meet him. Ben kissed the beast-head ring on Uma's finger.

Mal's breath caught in her throat as her eyes became tear-filled. No. . . it couldn't be true.

Ben linked his arm with Uma's and led her to Mal. "I'm so sorry," he apologized, his voice almost sounding monotone. "It all happened so fast."

Mal stared at him, silently waiting for the explanation as she felt her hands slowly go numb.

"Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma." Ben gazed at Uma, but his expression was dull. "A . . . connection."

Uma giggled, almost like she was trying to cover his stumble.

Mal shook her head in denial. "I'm sorry . . . what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that—"

"It was love!" Uma exclaimed a little to cheerfully as she smiled at Mal. "I just—I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?"

"Ben," Mal chided to get his attention, "did you go _back _for her?"

Ben struggled to say something, so Uma intervened. "He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed. And I'm an excellent swimmer, so . . ." She trailed off as the rest was self-explanatory.

Uma grabbed Mal's hands, causing the fairy to flinch, afraid the sea witch would do something to hurt her again. "Listen, Mal. I just want to say thank you. I really do." She giggled again. "For everything. Just . . .thank you."

She threw her arms theatrically around Mal and gave her a tight-as-tentacles strong embrace that made Mal recoil.

"Don't you see Mal?" Ben asked once the two girls separated. "You were right! You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why never told me you loved me. Thank you."

Mal gaped at him. She had no words. How could she? The other half of her heart was slowly being taken away from her.

Uma beamed at Ben, who had a glazed expression on his face. They joined together and waltzed across the boat deck. Evie helped a stunned Mal back away from the two.

Mal was shaken. She couldn't take her eyes off Ben, whose expression didn't change one bit. Her heart was beating erratically in depression. At any second, her light would appear because of her heart breaking.

Carlos held one of her arms and Evie held the other for support. They watched as Uma and Ben danced a Cotillion waltz in front of the surprised crowd.

"Not too thrilled I risked my life for him," Carlos shouted in hopes he would get Ben riled up

Lonnie walked over to them. "We're with you, Mal." She rested a comforting hand on Mal's arm.

Jay appeared at her side before she could notice. "Come on." Jay grabbed her hand. "Let's get out of here."

Mal nodded in agreement and allowed Jay to lead her away. She had to leave. She didn't want her secret coming out this way.

The crowd quickly cleared a path for them as they headed toward the stairs to leave. Beast and Belle gaped while watching Mal being led out.

"Mal!" Beast called, stopping her.

"We're so sorry, honey," Belle apologized sincerely. "We had no idea."

"I'll go talk to him," Beast promised as he made a move to do so.

Jay pulled Mal away and helped her up the first few steps. Suddenly, Jane raced past them and toward Lumiere, who stood at the top, looking as confused as the parents.

"Lumiere!" Jane shouted as she made it to the top. "Lumiere! Unveil the gift! They need to see it!"

"And now," Lumiere began, "the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece, designed especially for his lady." He signaled a guard across the deck to uncover the art piece as fanfare played.

Mal, Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and Carlos, now joined by Jane and Doug, froze on the steps.

Uma and Ben turned, halting their dance.

All eyes watched as the guard on the opposite landing pulled a cord. A royal-blue drape fell away, revealing the strained glass panel Ben had commissioned for Mal.

Mal's eyes filled with tears again.

The stained glass panel depicted a sunrise with Ben and Mal.

On the right, Ben wore his royal-blue suit with gold epaulets and crown. He reached for Mal's hand. On the left, Mal, with long purple hair and a gold crown, wore a purple dress and cape that swept around her. It wasn't the perfect Lady of the Court Mal. Not at all. It depicted the real Mal, in all her purple-haired, green-eyed glory.

The party guests applaud. Mal couldn't take her eyes off it. She knew Ben must have been planning and designing the stained glass panel for months. She couldn't believe that despite all of his kingly duties that he had time to do such a thing for her. That must be why he has had to use so much of his darkness lately . . .

"_Ben_ did that?" Mal wondered in disbelief.

"Yeah, he did." Evie looked at Mal. "And he loves the real you, M."

"A true love," Mal claimed, gazing at the portrait in awe.

"Told you," Carlos chided teasingly.

Mal laughed.

Ben stared up at the stained glass, his vacant expression changing to one of contemplation.

Uma marched to the stairs. "_Cover that thing back up_!'

"I will not!" Lumiere proclaimed.

Uma merely smiled and turned to face Ben. "Why don't you tell everyone the present you have for _me,_ Ben?"

With slight hesitation, Ben addressed the audience. "I have an announcement!" he declared.

King Beast removed his glasses and started to walk down the steps toward his son.

"Uma will be joining the court tonight as my lady," Ben revealed as he took Uma's hand.

Mal stared, speechless. _After everything we've been through. . . with his darkness and my light._

Uma beamed at with a victorious look in his eye.

Beast stepped onto the deck. "_Son!_" he boomed.

"_Not now, Dad!_" roared Ben in his most beast-like voice.

The crowd froze, for once completely scared of their king.

On instinct, Mal let a little of her light emerge just in case his darkness made an appearance. No one would notice it was from her.

Right?

Ben addressed his subjects once again. "So as my gift to her, I'm bringing the barrier down once and for all!" He looked into Uma's eyes, who beamed at him in satisfaction.

Mal and Evie gasped and looked at each other

"Fairy Godmother," Ben began, "bring down the barrier!"

Fairy Godmother's mouth was a perfect circle. "I will most certainly not!" She gripped her wand tighter.

"I am your _king_!" Ben shouted harshly.

After sensing his darkness appear for a brief second, Mal made a split second decision to protect his secret. She rushed forward to take hold of his arm, emitting more of her light than usual.

The only one who noticed was a shocked Beast and Belle. They shared a look before adverting their attention back to their son.

"Ben," Mal chided softly. "_Enough_."

Everyone anxiously waited to see what would happen next.

"Look at me," Mal pleaded desperately. "You are under a spell."

"Ben!" Uma yelled as she stood next Mal. "You love me, remember?"

"No, you don't," Mal told him.

"Yes, you do!" Uma argued.

"Ben, look at me," Mal instructed carefully.

Uma turned toward Fairy Godmother. "Bring down the barrier!"

"I do _not_ take orders from you!" Fairy Godmother shouted.

"Ben!" Uma commanded.

Ben continued looking at Mal, completely transfixed now.

Mal took a step forward to close the space between them. "Ben, I never told you I loved you because I didn't believe I was good enough! I thought it was only a matter of time before you saw that yourself—"

"Oh please." Uma rolled her eyes.

Mal pointed at the stained glass. "But, Ben, that's me! I'm part Isle and part Auradon!"

"Ben, eyes over here," Uma ordered.

"And yes, my mother did steal your mother's heart." Mal let out an unexpected laugh to the surprise of the tense crowd. "But I think it's safe to say that it's even now, because _you _stole _mine!_ You love me for _me_ and I love you for _you_."

She stepped forward again, tightening her grip on his arm. "Darkness and all," she whispered so no one could hear.

Mal smiled as a tear dripped down her cheek. "I have always loved you," she confessed at a normal volume. She smirked as though she was reliving a joke. "And now . . . I can show you."

With her smile still in place, Mal leaned forward to kiss Ben, causing a majority of the audience to coo at the affection. Mal pulled away and gazed up into Ben's eyes, which suddenly seemed clear.

Ben smiled at Mal, bringing her closer to him. "My Mal."

"True Love's Kiss," Evie said to herself as she watched the scene, grinning from ear to ear. "Works every time."

The crowd cheered as the couple leaned their foreheads against one another, though that might be their small attempt to keep their 'little' secret under control.

Angered, Uma lunged at Fairy Godmother. "Give me that wand!"

Evie stepped in front of the headmistress and grabbed Uma's arm to stop her while Fairy Godmother yanked it out of reach. "Ah-ah-ah." She called out for the guards. "Seize her!"

The crowd swarmed Uma, but she quickly ran to the railing.

Mal held up her arms to block the guards. "No! No! No! Stop!" As much as she wasn't fond of Uma, Mal felt in her heart that jailing her was not the answer.

Uma backed against the rail, facing Mal and the rest of her onlookers.

"Uma, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain," said Mal. "And you have to believe me, because I have been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want." Mal took a step toward Uma, then another. "Yeah?"

Uma looked at Mal and touched her shell necklace, which had started to glow. The she turned, placed her hand on the rail, and stepped up onto the banister.

Mal stumbled forward to stop her. Everyone behind her screamed and rushed forward as well. But it was already too late.

Uma jumped off the yacht.

Everyone raced to the railing, including Mal, whose mouth was agape. Ben's eyes bugged. Carlos, Jay, Lonnie, Jane, the guards, and the rest of the party guests looked at each other, murmuring. All of a sudden, they saw a slight bubbling in the sea below that turned into a roiling boil, and then out of the waves, Uma rose as an enormous tentacled sea witch.

Uma sloshed a wave of water over the yacht that sent everyone stumbling.

Then she vanished under the waves and resurfaced. "True Love's Kiss won't defeat _this_!" Uma roared, grinning. "The world _will_ know my name!"

She threw back her arms, then flung out long slimy tentacles. One nearly swept Evie into the sea, but she jumped aside. Another lashed out at Lonnie, who managed to dodge it thanks to her skills at R.O.A.R. Uma cackled with her hands on her hips; then she folded her arms, ready to strike.

Mal watched helplessly as her friends avoid Uma's attacks. She clenched her fists. Her eyes sparkled bright green, her hair whipped with magic, and then . . .

Mal vanished in a burst of purple smoke—and turned into a giant dragon. She had iridescent purple scales and a bilious-green underbelly, razor-sharp claws and teeth, two curved horns on the top of her head, and a long spiked tail. Everyone on the yacht gasped.

"Bring it on, Mal!" Uma yelled, swiping with her arms and tentacles as Mal wheeled overhead. "Let's finish this—once and for all!"

Mal spread her huge green-purple wings and soared over Uma, breathing out flames. People on the yacht crouched down to evade the heat. Uma ducked under the waves, rocking the yacht violently back and forth, with everyone on deck staggering one way, then the other.

Ben had seen enough

And his darkness wanted it to end.

With a beast like roar, Ben removed his crown and jacket, and ran to the banister. Despite the screams from the guests, Ben dove off the yacht into the sea. He surfaced between the two dueling giants.

"_Stop!_" Ben shouted. "Mal! Uma! Back down!" He looked from one massive monster to the other. "Back down!"

Mal and Uma broke their stare-off by looking down at a miniscule Ben.

Uma cackled. "What are you gonna do, Ben? _Splash me_?"

Mal's eyes sparkled brighter as she hovered beside Ben protectively and glowered at Uma, her dragon wings flaring out in anger.

"That's enough! This isn't the answer! The fighting has got to stop!" Ben yelled, gazing up at Mal. "Nobody wins this way. We have to listen and respect each other. It won't be easy. But let's be brave enough to try."

Uma rolled her eyes. Mal's green sparkle faded from hers, and she straightened up a little.

Ben turned to Uma. "Uma, I know you want what is best for the Isle! So do I! Help me make a difference!" Everyone at the rail of the yacht watched in silence as Ben held out his hand to Uma.

She looked torn. Her eyes softened. She reached out a tentacle to Ben, about to touch his hand. Instead, she dropped his old beast-head ring into his hand.

Ben watched her lower silently beneath the waves.

And then Uma was gone.

The crowd aboard the yacht watched Uma head out to sea, and they exhaled a collective sigh of relief. The clouds parted, and the sky twinkled with infinite stars. Ben took his eyes off Uma's wake and swam back to the boat.

Jay and Carlos lowered a ladder, and a sopping wet Ben climbed up. Everyone cheered for him. Then Mal flew up and hovered above them.

Mal's wings closed, and then . . .

_POOF!_

Everyone gasped.

She vanished in a swirl of purple smoke—and dropped on two feet on the yacht in front of the stained glass. She was Mal again, but not quite the same Mal.

Her hair was long, thick, and purple. She wore the purple dress depicted in the stained glass, with its purple cape and rich layers of fabric that swept past her feet. The dress sizzled where it touched the wet deck. Mal patted out the fiery embers, and the crowd giggled. A gold crown shimmered atop her head.

Mal jokingly curtsied to Ben, who bowed in the same manner. Mal grinned and laughed happily. Fanfare played. Two guards took her by the elbows and carefully escorted her down the stairs as the crowd clapped for her.

Evie met her at the bottom and Mal grinned.

"Whew!" She exclaimed cheerily. "I did not know that I could do that!"

Evie laughed. This was the first time in forever that she has seen Mal so genuinely happy. "Yeah, that makes two of us." She blew out a few more embers on Mal's dress. "Shall we?" Evie asked, extending a hand.

"We shall." Mal declared as she took her friend's hand and walked toward Ben. Mal smiled as Ben moved his hand to her cheek and kissed her again.

Everyone cheered and applauded.

"Okay, that's enough," Carlos chided, making everyone laugh.

Beast looked on proudly. "How about that boy of ours?" he said to his queen.

"How about his girlfriend?" Belle smiled fondly. "We're in good hands, especially since she was the light he needed."

Beast sighed. "Hades had told the truth after all . . ."

"I owe you guys a lot," Ben said to the crowd. "If there's anything I can do or if there's anything you need, please—"

"Umm," Evie hummed as she stepped forward, "actually, there is something you can do, Ben." Evie stared at the Isle for a moment before looking at the king. "I know a girl who'd really love to come to Auradon. She's Drizella's daughter, Dizzy. She's like a little sister to me and . . ."

Ben nodded in understanding. "And she will be more than welcomed at Auradon Prep."

"Okay!" Evie cheered, but then a thought came to her. "Actually, there's a lot of Isle kids who'd really love it here in Auradon. Kids just like us who also deserve a second chance. Maybe you and I could . . . make a list?"

"Absolutely!" Ben agreed with a smile.

Evie beamed as the crowd clapped.

A guard approached Mal with her spell book. "My lady Mal."

"Yes?" She asked.

"We found your spell book below deck," he said to her. "Uma had it."

"Oh." Mal took it and examined the cover, with its gold dragon encircled by a ring of Mal's green and purple spray paint. "Thank you. Um . . ." Mal looked long and hard at the old leather book her mother had once used and Mal had been using as of late to put on the whole perfect-princess performance. The act was over. Mal was free to be herself, and Ben would love her for that. "You know, this seems like the kind of thing that belongs in the hands of Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother!"

Fairy Godmother stepped between the guard and Ben. "That's me. Excuse me. Thank you."

"This belongs in a museum." Mal handed her the book.

"Yes. And I'm going to take it." Fairy Godmother tucked the spell book under her arm and happily vanished into the crowd.

Mal gazed at Ben. "I'm not going to be needing it anymore." She moved toward Ben, but then playfully kicked water back at him.

Ben grinned and kicked water at Mal. She shrieked, delighted, and turned away.

When she turned back to face him, Ben was beaming. Mal took his crown in her hands and angled it crookedly on his head. She pressed her forehead warmly to his. "I love you. . ."

* * *

Before Mal knew it, everybody was splashing water on her and rolling with laughter.

Music began to play, and a feverish merriment broke out on the deck. Drenched, and with water flying, people twirled and boogied. Carlos break-danced in the center of the deck, then hopped up and danced with Jane. Lonnie and Jay took the floor, followed by Evie and Doug, and then Ben and Mal.

Everyone crowded them, cheering and splashing with water. Above, the stars twinkled magically.

Mal had learned in her heart that she was bold, she was brave, and she believed. She was done hiding. She had looked deep inside, and she was going to be herself from now on: part Isle, part Auradon. She thought about _The Lady's Manners_ and laughed. That was another book she'd be happy not to open again.

Mal and Ben embraced. Then he slipped his school ring onto her finger. They were ready to face their future—together. They climbed to the top of the staircase overlooking the deck. Fireworks burst overhead. It truly was a happy ending. She turned to face her friends, and she and Ben waved to them.

Mal was lady of the court. She was perfect the way she was. Everyone knew it.

And most importantly, so did Mal.


	27. Escape from the Isle: Chapter 1

**I am so sorry.**

**As of now there will only be two chapters for the retelling 'Escape from the Isle of the Lost'.**

**I started feeling absolutely sick typing this chapter and I have not improved. I promise I will add more, but it will be after I retell Descendants 3. **

**Sorry again!**

* * *

Time has passed since the Cotillion, and Mal had a lot to do now.

When she arrived at the meeting for the Royal Council, she was the first one there. Today, Mal was dressed simply in a matching black-and-purple shirt and skirt, her long purple hair tucked behind her ears. Gone were the days when Mal would stomp into class or any assignation at the last minute, snarling and annoyed. She was the future Lady Mal now—bad fairy heritage, irreverent attitude, battered thick-soled boots, and all. She wanted to make Ben proud of her, and, in turn, show the kingdom she was proud to wear his school ring.

Still, Mal's unexpectedly prompt appearance seemed to surprise Lumiere, who was still fluffing cushions and helping Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts set out the tea service.

"Oh! Mal! You're early!" Lumiere noted with a bit of a frown. As the head of the king's household, he didn't like to be caught with his candelabras down, so to speak.

"Don't mind me." Mal smiled. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No, dear. Please, be our guest." Mrs. Potts bustled over with two heaping plates of scones and pastries, almost dropping them in her haste.

"Here." Mal took one of the plates away from the overburdened cook and placed it in the middle of the table.

"Thank you, dear." Mrs. Potts smiled in relief.

"We don't have much time!" fretted Cogsworth, who was opening drapes and letting light into the conference. "The kings and queen will be here shortly! And Fairy Godmother runs a tight ship. She'll turn us all into pumpkins—or worse, back into furniture and locked in a dungeon—if things aren't perfect!"

"Cogsworth, you worry too much!" Mal laughed as she helped Chip pour tea into everyone's cups. She knew Cogsworth was simply being his normal, nervous self—Fairy Godmother was far too kind to turn anyone into furniture. Besides, Beast wouldn't let something like that happen since Cogsworth helped that Keyblade wielder snap him out of his darkness daze.

After they were done with the tea, she helped Chip fold the napkins the way Lumiere taught them, so they resembled ladies' fans on the plates. At last, the room was ready, and at the appointed hour, Mal took her seat as Cogsworth held the door open for King Beast, Queen Belle, King Ben, and Fairy Godmother, who all filed in. They were already deep in discussion.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Ben was saying. "She'll be so thrilled."

"I thought she might." Fairy Godmother looked as polished as ever in her pink ruffled shirt and powder-blue suit.

Ben grinned and took his seat next to Mal.

"Oh, the tea looks lovely, Mrs. Potts," Fairy Godmother complimented as she picked up her cup. Cogsworth audibly sighed in relief.

"What's going on?" Mal whispered to Ben.

"You'll see," he promised, reaching for a scone.

King Beast and Queen Belle, who had recently returned from another all-kingdom cruise—they had become very fond of those since it felt like traveling to different worlds—looked deeply relaxed. Ever since handing over the reins of government to their son, the retired king and queen were only brought in to consult with the Royal Council. Ben had the final word on every decision.

Ben let the assembled group eat and chat for a moment before calling the meeting to order. "Mal, I'm sorry we started this discussion without you, but it's come to my attention that some members of the Royal Council would like for you to do some diplomatic visits around all the kingdoms of Auradon," he explained. "I think you would do an amazing job. What do you think?"

"Oh!" Mal sat up straighter. "That sounds . . . exciting! But would it be safe?"

"Absolutely," Fairy Godmother insisted. "I know you've been having trouble keeping your darkness in check, but I think we can fix that before your first visit."

Mal bit back a mouthy retort. Despite being such a powerful influence in Auradon, Fairy Godmother has no idea about Ben's secret because his parents refused to tell her. King Beast and Queen Belle knew about Mal's secret, which may be why they started acting much kinder to her recently.

Ben placed a hand over Mal's that was resting on the table. "Everything will be fine," he reassured quietly so the headmistress couldn't hear. "I'll have Dad help me so I don't over-work myself like last time." Louder, he announced with his brow creased. "Although . . . it _does_ mean a lot of travel. I'll miss you."

In the back, Mrs. Potts swooned while Chip giggled.

Mal felt her cheeks flush. "Ben, you know I will always come back to you."

Ben smiled as he kissed her temple to help reassure her. He had grown up so much since the crown was first placed on his head. He was their leader, fair and firm, and so handsome that she always blushed when he looked her way. "I'll be waiting," he promised.

Fairy Godmother cleared his throat. "It's important that our future _Lady_ Mal see as much of the kingdom as she can. She didn't grow up in Auradon, and it would be good for her to observe the customs of the country."

"I agree," said Queen Belle. "The people are curious about Mal and excited to show her how much they appreciate all she's done for Auradon. I know in Northern Wei, they're planning a dragon dance parade in her honor. And in Corona, a festival of sky lanterns."

"Then it's settled," Fairy Godmother determined. "I hope it's not too distracting from your studies, my dear. But here is a list of kingdoms for your itinerary." She pushed a piece of paper across the table in Mal's direction.

Mal felt her heartbeat speed up in excitement. It was true—she hadn't seen very much of Auradon at all. The chance to travel a country that used to be separated worlds sounded so thrilling after a childhood spent trapped on a remote island. So many things to see! So many people to meet!

She glanced at the list. Every kingdom and region in Auradon were represented on her itinerary.

Every region, that is, except for one.

Mal glanced up from the paper. "Did we forget to add the Isle of the Lost to this list?"

"The Isle of the Lost?" Fairy Godmother echoed, as if she couldn't quite believe her ears.

King Beast and Queen Belle shifted uncomfortably. King Beast coughed, and Queen Belle added two more lumps of sugar to her tea. When she brought the cup to her lips, it rattled against the saucer she held underneath it.

"The Isle of the Lost is Mal's home," Ben reminded everyone. "And the Isle _is_ part of Auradon."

"Technically," Fairy Godmother admitted.

"Unfortunately," groused King Beast. "It may be too unsafe . . . for you."

"It would be just the same if I went to any other kingdom," Mal argued. "I don't want them to think they've been forgotten."

It was already so easy to dismiss the kids who were imprisoned on the island, punished for their parents' evil deeds. If Ben hadn't felt sympathy for them in the beginning, when he made his first proclamation as king, who knew where she would be now? Certainly not in a plush room in the palace eating warm scones on a porcelain plate. Most likely scrounging for leftovers in back alleys like every other Isle kid.

"Of course not," Ben agreed. "We can't forget the Isle of the Lost."

"Let's not make a hasty decision just yet," Fairy Godmother proposed. "Why don't we discuss it again at the next meeting of the Royal Council? Gives us a little time to think it over."

"Absolutely." Ben smiled. "Besides, I'd take any excuse to have more tea and scones from Mrs. Potts."


	28. Escape from the Isle: Chapter 2

**Once again, I apologize for there only being two chapters at the moment, but I hope you enjoy it. I will make it up to you.**

**Sorry!**

* * *

Ben bent over the paper on his desk, his brow creased as he read the latest safety report from Genie, who kept an eye on all the kingdoms. The news was the same—no sign of Uma or her tentacles. Ben was writing a note advising Genie to keep an eye on the oceans, when the door to his study burst open. He was surprised, but happy to find Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos talking excitedly to each other as they made their way to the front of his desk.

"We could tell them about Tourney!" Jay suggested.

"And chocolate chip cookies!" Carlos added energetically. "Oh, and hot showers!"

"We could stress how _good_ the classes are. Pun definitely intended." Mal gave a droll smile.

"And how nobody locks you up in a tower if you forget your homework!" said Evie.

"Ben!" Mal perched on the side of his desk. "Wait till you hear this idea!"

"What is it?" Ben wondered, grinning and leaning back on his chair, glad to have a distraction. It was his duty as king to read every document presented to him and make certain he was prepared for meetings. He liked to be just as informed as his councilors, if not more so. But sometimes even kings needed a break. Ben learned the hard way during the preparations for Cotillion to take breaks so his darkness doesn't go out of control like before. "What's the big idea?"

"You know the VK program?" Evie reminded. "The one that's going to bring over some more villain kids to study at Auradon Prep? Well, I was looking at the applications we've received, and aside from Dizzy, there aren't any."

Ben raised his eyebrows. He hadn't heard that it was quite that big a failure. "Really?"

"Yeah, really." Carlos took an empty seat across from Ben's desk. Jay took a place by the windowsill, and Evie sat on a chair near Mal.

"Isn't it awful?" Mal questioned rhetorically. "I think they're scared to apply."

"Or maybe they don't know about it," Jay pointed out. "The Isle is a little . . . isolated."

"So we need to drum up more interest," Evie insisted. "I was thinking I could take some photos of us, and we could use them to make posters and put them all over the island. Kind of inspirational! Like, 'You too could grow up to be Mal!' "

Ben smiled. He was pretty sure Mal was one of a kind, considering she has the purest light out of _everyone_ in their world, but he understood where Evie was going. "Okay, posters. I like it! Maybe we could put them up all around the mainland too, prove to people that anyone can be a great student here."

Mal nodded. "We need to show them that _everyone_ can come to Auradon Prep."

"We'll definitely give everyone a chance to apply," Ben reassured. "But we can't tale everyone from the Isle of the Lost. Where would they live? And who would mentor them? We need to figure out exactly how many kids we can bring over. There's a lot to plan before this happens."

"But we can't waste another day." Evie argued.

Carlos leaned over to speak to Evie. "Didn't you say you wanted to meet with kids to talk about the program? That the four of us should go to the Isle of the Lost?" His tone was hesitant.

"Well, yes, as long as Ben thinks it's all right," Evie said hopefully. "I just think if we could tell them exactly how wonderful it is here, and answer their questions, we'll be able to get a lot more of them interested in applying."

"The four of you? Back to the Isle?" Ben pondered on the idea.

"I won't be dangerous," Jay reassured. "We know every trick in the book."

"Because we wrote it," Mal commented.

"We can handle it," Evie promised. "Nothing will happen."

But there was also Fairy Godmother to think about. "Auradon Prep discourages student travel during the school year," Ben reminded.

"But not if it's part of my diplomatic visits . . ." Mal mused. "That's it! My diplomatic visits!" She turned to Ben, her eyes sparkling. "We both agreed that the Isle of the Lost should be included on my official itinerary. And if I'm using my visit to promote the VK program at the same time, Fairy Godmother won't be able to say no. It's the perfect opportunity!"

"And we'll all come too!" Evie cheered.

"Definitely," Jay encouraged. "You'll need all the help you can get."

"Yeah," said Carlos. "I don't want to see my mother. But I guess I'm in."

"Good." Mal smiled thankfully at Evie.

Ben finally nodded. "It does make sense. How long would you need?"

"Three days?" Mal guesstimated. "The day we arrive, a full day to talk about the program, and leave the next day. Can you manage that long without me?"

"Looks like I'll have to." He smiled reassuringly. "We'll present it at the next council meeting."


	29. Descendants 3: Chapter 1

**Watched Descendants 3 and was somehow able to get through the beginning dedication to Cameron Boyce. When they played the end credit dedication, I broke down in tears. I actually had an emotional panic attack when I seen the video. I'm getting emotional now just thinking about it.**

**As I had previously stated, I am going to take my time when retelling Descendants 3, mainly because I've got quite a few ideas for it. HOWEVER: I am skipping when the Core Four chose the four new VKs to get the story rolling. I am hoping to update twice a week, maybe three. College starts again for me in two weeks so we'll see what happens. **

**You may get an update Wednesday and/or Friday.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The week dragged on slower than Mal had wanted. In less than an hour, she, her three friends, and her amazing boyfriend would be traveling to the Isle of the Lost to retrieve the four new transfer students that would attend Auradon Prep during the new school year.

As of now Mal stood guard by herself on Auradon Prep's back balcony, looking every bit the fierce protector in a dragon-patterned dress and dragon-wing epaulets. The school's blue-and-yellow flags flapped in the wind above her as she took in the morning air. The castle-like building's pale stone bricks were sturdy beneath her feet, but Mal still felt uneasy. Auradon could never be truly safe while Ursula's daughter, Uma, was still out there.

Mal scanned the vast horizon for signs of Uma. As far as Mal could see, the spectacular Auradon coastline lay quiet and peaceful, all rolling green hills and sparkling blue seas. But beyond the calm sea hunched the Isle of the Lost. Its magical, isolating barrier flickered and shimmered in the morning sun; the Isle's dangerous population imprisoned behind it.

_Today's the big day_, Mal thought. It was time to pick up the new VKs. She smiled to herself with pride. Mal, daughter of Auradon's most-hated villain, spawn of the Isle's mistress of evil, had passed all of her senior classes—without the help of magic—and graduated from Auradon Prep. And her best friend, Evie, had finished at the top of their elite prep school class. They were truly Auradon girls now.

Mal shook her head and refocused on her critical task. She had to be sure Uma wasn't going to mess things up and slip her angry octopus self into Mal's peaceful life in Auradon. Mal shivered as she recalled Uma's disturbing transformation at Cotillion, from a wicked leader of rapscallion pirates into an eight-legged aqua-beast. No one had seen or heard from Uma since. Mal's top priority was keeping Auradon a safe place for all the people she loved.

Deep in thought, Mal failed to notice that her boyfriend, King Ben, had walked up behind her on the balcony. The handsome royal put his arms gently around Mal's waist and surprised her with a giant embrace. Romantic surprises were one of Ben's specialties. He was always making grand, unexpected gestures, like planning picnics by the Enchanted Lake or commissioning a personalized stained-glass window of him and Mal for Cotillion. Ben got so much pleasure out of seeing Mal's joyful and shocked reactions to his surprises. This time was no different.

Mal squealed in surprise, whirled around, and greeted her dreamy boyfriend with a loving smile. "Not a tentacle in sight," she declared, taking Ben's strong hand in hers.

"I believe if Uma was up to something, we'd know by now," Ben reassured.

The king looked sharp and self-assured in his cobalt blue suit with its yellow pocket square. His honey-brown hair shifted across his forehead as he scanned the water.

"I know how villains think, and I don't trust her as far as I can throw her. She's going to wait until our guard is down and strike," Mal argued, looking thoughtful as she mulled over potential evil plots in her head. She let out a sigh, her voice having a hint of a whine as she complained, "I really wish I had time to do a dragon flyover, 'cuz I could go much higher."

Ever since Mal's brilliant Cotillion metamorphosis into a magnificent fire-breathing dragon, she has been soaring over Auradon on a daily basis and safe-guarding the kingdom from above. Because her dragon's-eye view provided an unrivaled perspective. Mal felt it was her personal responsibility to protect Auradon from harm, maybe because her light keeps the king's darkness in check.

"Well, you can't be everywhere at once," Ben retorted in concern that Mal was taking on too much.

Ben loved her passion for Auradon's safety, but the security of the world didn't rest on Mal's shoulders alone, even if she thought otherwise. Ben wished Mal knew how to lean more on other for help. She wasn't on the Isle anymore; she didn't have to do everything alone. Mal reminded him so much of the Keyblade wielder-turned-Master that his parents described in the stories. It might have something to do with how infatuated she is with the wielde—_Master's_ keyblade, Way to Dawn.

"Besides, I've got your back." He gestured above to dozens of gallant royal guards positioned on the school's high parapet, their telescopes carefully arranged to cover every direction.

Then, remembering why he'd come to get Mal, Ben threw his arm around her. "Now come on, everybody's waiting for us," he reminded. Although Ben couldn't wait to welcome the new batch of Isle kids to his kingdom, he had another surprise waiting for the unknowing Mal.

With Mal and her friends, Ben had witnessed firsthand how an invitation to Auradon Prep changed not just the lives of the VKs who came over, but the lives of everyone they met as well—including himself. Ben could never have predicted that his groundbreaking proclamation for Auradon Prep's integration would lead to him meeting the love of his life.

But the wise leader _had_ foreseen that, given the right education and resources, villain kids could change. Children raised by evil parents could choose to be good. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos had. If only Uma had made the same choice. Instead, they all nervously awaited her return. Especially Mal.

"Wait, you're getting more guards?" Mal wondered, searching for reassurance in Ben's eyes.

"I'm getting more guards," he replied. He took both of her hands in his. "Now breathe. Your light is showing again."

For the past year or so, Mal's light has grown stronger than it ever has before. When she first arrived, Ben could barely sense it. Now, her light overpowers everyone's in the kingdom, yet no one realizes it's hers. Everyone assumes her light is actually Ben's, while they think Ben's darkness is Mal's. The couple has yet to reveal their life-long secret to the public; only Ben's parents and Professor Yen Sid know the truth.

Or . . . so they believed.

Since Mal's light has grown so strong, she reverted back to her old habit of wearing fingerless to keep it in check. She reluctantly had to give Ben back his gold-ring so he could keep his darkness in check when she wasn't around.

Mal leaned back and took a deep cleansing breath, forcing her light to subside again.

"C'mon." Ben wrapped his arm around her playfully as they crossed the balcony to exit. "Everyone's waiting."

Mal leaned into him, thankful to have him by her side.

* * *

Pastel-clad students, teachers, and parents gathered eagerly on Auradon Prep's front lawn to greet the school's newest Isle additions. Throngs of curious Auradonians had flocked to the event and were milling about the well-groomed gardens, converging under the King Beast statue and clustering on the school steps. They were all beyond excited to welcome the second wave of villain students to their side of the sea.

The Auradon Knights marching band, wearing snappy blue-and-gold uniforms, blasted out a toe-tapping number as the school's cheer squad shook their pom-poms and rallied the growing crowd. Ben's parents, Beast and Belle, mingled among the crowd, looking as proud as ever of their son and his efforts to the kingdom with kindness. The royal couple smiled at each other, noting all the electrified citizens who were waving homemade WELCOME ALL posters, flying painted REUNITE banners, and holding cheery flower bouquets.

Queen Leah and her granddaughter, Audrey, daughter of Sleeping Beauty, stood near a row of meticulously trimmed hedges. The two looked on with considerably less enthusiasm than most. Audrey's mouth formed a serious line, and her brown eyes were unsmiling. She pulled at her long ash-brown hair—which was newly streaked with pink and blue—straightened her pink leather ensemble, and frowned at all the hoopla. Auradon Prep did not need more evil offspring students. The first four had been more than enough for her taste.

The rest of Auradon, however, felt differently. A giant video monitor was set up atop the school's battlements to carry a real-time feed of the Isle's barrier opening. WELCOME TO OUR NEW VKS blazed across its screen. A formal royal guard detail stood in their pressed gold uniforms around the lawn. The king's stretch limo, now painted purple in Mal's honor, sat parked and ready to go in the circular driveway. In a few moments it would be crossing the barrier to pick up the four new VKs.

Many Auradon students, like Fairy Godmother's daughter, Jane, were eager to befriend their new villain classmates. Jane held tightly to Carlos's arm as he told her all about the twins. She couldn't wait to meet them.

Doug, son of Dopey, was equally enthusiastic. He waited next to Evie in his full band uniform—complete with brass buttons and a tall gold hat—excited to finally welcome the famous Dizzy. Evie had shared many stories about her precious Isle friend. Evie laughed with delight, flirtatiously took Doug's arm, then noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

"Here they come," she announced.

Doug and Evie shared knowing looks filled with happy anticipation. Then Doug took hold of his drum major baton and started to lead the band in an upbeat tone.

Mal and Ben made their grand entrance into the packed festivities. Mal surveyed the bustling celebratory scene, quite pleased to see the newest VKs would be greeted with more excitement and fanfare than she and her friends had been when they'd first arrived. She was amazed by how things in Auradon had truly changed.

Ben adjusted his golden crown, which bore the Beast family crest, and stepped in front of the crowd to speak. Mal moved to join her crew that stood off to the side of the stage, but Fairy Godmother quickly blocked her path.

"Stay," Fairy Godmother ordered, looking proper as always in a conservative powder-blue dress.

"Stay here?" Mal wondered in confusion. That was a first, but she went along with it as she took her place by Ben's side on the stage. The couple waved to the jubilant crowd. Mal, who had once found the royal wave rather awkward, now performed it like a pro.

"Bibbidi-bobbidi, one two, one two." Fairy Godmother stated as she tested the microphone. "Can everybody hear me?" Once the crowd answered with a cheer, she offered the golden mic to the king. "Ben."

"Thank you, Fairy Godmother." Ben broke out one of his trademark warm trademark smiles that put everyone at ease. Ben had really come into his own as the leader of this world. His approval ratings were off the chart.

"What's up, Auradon?" Ben belted with rock-star style. "Thank you, thank you so much for coming out to welcome our new arrivals. They'll be here soon."

His first official act as king had been inviting the children of Auradon's sworn enemies to live among them. At the time, the royal proclamation had been controversial to say the least; King Beast had been adamantly against it at the time. But Ben's courage, conviction, and risk paid off, and now all the citizens of Auradon were cheering on the arrival of more VKs.

Well, most of the citizens. Queen Leah, clearly displeased, pulled nervously at the strand of pearls around her wrist, leaned over to Audrey, and whispered, "Not like we had a choice." Audrey merely nodded back, still frowning in discontent.

"It worked out pretty well with the first four," Ben mused to the crowd.

"Especially for you," Chad, the preppy son of Cinderella and Prince Charming, shouted back teasingly. His blond curls shook as he laughed at his clever joke, which he immediately stopped when Audrey snapped her fingers, causing him to cower obediently.

"Yeah. Real funny," Audrey commented sarcastically.

Ben gazed out at his subjects, then turned to face Mal, focusing all of his attention on her. "Mal," he began, smiling at his beloved, "this is the exact spot where we first met not so long ago."

Mal smiled. She remembered the meeting all too well. When they shook hands, Mal saw something inside him that turned out to be darkness. They shared their secrets on their first date, and the rest has been history.

"I feel like I've known you my whole life." Ben smiled lovingly. "Did I mention . . . I'm in love with you?"

As if on cue, Doug stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began strumming on his guitar. Mal laughed gleefully as Ben began to serenade her. If the love potion had actually worked, he probably would have singed a different version of that song when he first declared his love to her after the tourney victory.

"_I met this girl who rocked my world, like it's never been rocked," _Ben began as he slowly started to twirl Mal in a circle. "_And now I'm living just for her. And I won't ever stop. I never thought it could happen to a guy like me."_ Once he came back to the position he started, Mal gazed at the crowd smiling happily, not realizing what Ben was doing. "_But now look at what you've done. You got me . . ._" Mal turned back to watch Ben kneel before her. "_. . .down on one knee."_

Mal gasped as the pieces slowly came together. Passing the golden microphone to Carlos, Ben pulled out a little blue box from his pocket, ready to finish his most romantic surprise for Mal yet.

"Mal," he began almost nervously, "it's you and me. It's you and me forever."

Ben pulled back the lid to reveal a spectacular one-of-a-kind vintage-style ring with an enormous purple stone encased in a dragon design. "Will you marry me?" Ben proposed, his voice cracking from his over-whelming emotions. "Will you be my queen?"

But before Mal could answer, Audrey blurted out, "No!" She couldn't help herself. The people who stood near her silently glared at the interruption.

"Yes," Mal answered quietly, who, fortunately hadn't heard Audrey. Louder, she squealed in an explosion of emotion, _"Yes!_" Happiness danced across her face. She couldn't believe she was going to marry Ben!

The Auradon palace bells pealed loudly as Ben slipped the ring on Mal's finger and stood while embracing her. The couple kissed—a real True Love's Kiss—as if they were the only two people in the world. During the kiss, Mal's light emerged stronger than it ever had before, almost blinding the audience.

As the crowd erupted in wild applause with a cannon releasing a sea of bubbles into the air, Jay teased Ben, "Looks like somebody's happy she said yes."

The couple broke the kiss with a delightful laugh as they rested their foreheads against one another. If only they knew . . .

Meanwhile, Carlos, who'd thrown on Doug's band hat, accidentally chest-bumped Beast—who found the incident hilarious—then turned to find Jay. The two pals clapped and pumped their fists, ecstatic for their friends. Dozens of onlookers flipped DIY welcome signs to reveal sweet congratulatory messaged like _Queen Mal_, _Happily Ever After_, and _True Love, Mal!_

Doug and Evie high-fived each other for their clever signage and exceptional teamwork. They really did work well together. Doug took in the massive scale of Ben's romantic gesture and shrugged sheepishly. "It makes our movie nights seem a little tame," he mused.

In contrast to Ben and Mal's relationship, Evie and Doug's flirtship was progressing at a measured pace. Not that they didn't spend time together or make each other happy. But there was one big bridge they hadn't crossed yet.

Taking a big leap of fate, Evie insisted, "I love yo—" She turned to face Doug, but quickly corrected her stumble, "Movies."

She seemed to have wanted to say something else, but just smiled instead.

"Me too," Doug agreed, smiling back awkwardly.

"Yeah." Evie turned away in embarrassment. Why couldn't she saw what she felt? She was happy to wear an over-sized heart pendant around her neck, but she wasn't one to wear her real heart on her sleeve.

Audrey, surrounded by the colossal celebration of love, felt crushed under the weight of utter devastation and raw heartache from losing Ben for good. Hearing that sappy song only made things worse.

Queen Leah narrowed her eyes with fury at her disappointing granddaughter, her pink ruffled collar only made things worse. "A lifetime of plans. Gone," she chided. "Our family status. Gone. You were supposed to be his queen and you let him slip through your fingers. Your mother could hold on to a prince in her sleep."

Audrey winced and tried to hold back the tears she felt coming. She swallowed the cold lump that had formed in her throat. "Don't you think I feel bad enough, Grammy?"

A squad of girls stood next to them, delighting loudly in the sheer romance of Ben's proposal and chatting giddily about it. "Ben and Mal are the best," said one. "I'm so excited for Mal to be our queen," said another.

Audrey turned on them angrily. "You'd really rather have a VK on the throne than me?" she interrogated angrily. "What is wrong with you people?"

The girls simply rolled their eyes, laughed among themselves, and took their happiness elsewhere. But it didn't matter. Everywhere Audrey looked, all of Auradon seemed to be rejoicing over Mal and Ben's engagement. "What is wrong with everybody?" she fumed.

If Mal's light hadn't been so overpowering, someone probably would have noticed the faint purple-black glow that surrounded Audrey, which slowly began to grow.

Yet, everyone was too busy basking in the celebration to see the impending danger.

* * *

Mal ran down the stage to hug Evie tightly. "Wait, did you know?" Mal, clearly still shocked, interrogated.

"Everything," replied an overjoyed Evie. She couldn't have been happier for Mal or thought of a single person who would make a better queen. "You're going to rock that crown," Evie added, running her hand along Mal's long purple strands.

Then Evie turned to more important business. "I've done about a thousand sketches of your wedding dress. And Belle's already planning an engagement party for next week," she informed, enamored with the idea of all the fun wedding planning that lay ahead.

Mal tilted her head and laughed gleefully. "Then it's a really good thing that I said yes!"

Belle and Beast, all smiles, joined them. "Hugs!" Beast proclaimed, and swallowed Mal in a giant father-in-law-to-be bear hug.

"Hugs, hi!" Mal returned the hug as best as she could, glowing and at home with the royal family.

"I finally get a daughter!" Belle cheered, taking her turn to hug Mal with her face filled with sheer joy.

Mal pulled away from the hug with a genuine smile. "I love you, Belle," she confessed, and she meant it.

_I love you, too_, mouthed Belle in return, too overcome with emotion to speak.

When she first arrived in Auradon, Mal _never _thought she would say such a thing to the woman whose heart her mother stole to take over the worlds. Now, Mal was grateful to be joining a family who loved and supported one another.

Teeming with happiness, Ben looked at the family scene and turned toward Fairy Godmother. "Thank you so much for your help, Fairy Godmother. I think she liked it." He glanced back at Mal and felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

No sooner had Fairy Godmother congratulated Ben with a warm pat on the back and hurried off, Evie, Carlos, and Jay bounded to Mal with goofy, exaggerated steps. Jay bowed elaborately in Mal's direction and spoke, his voice syrupy with sarcasm: "All bow to Your Royal Majesty!"

Evie curtsied with overblown reverence.

Carlos followed suit. "Your Royal Purpleness," he joked between stifled laughs.

"Silence, annoying peasants," Mal told them, shooing away her friends with feigned disinterest.

"As you wish, my liege!" Jay exclaimed, who rose from his ridiculous prostrate pose.

"Your Crankiness," added Carlos. The boys continued to crack themselves up as they bowed and scraped away, happy that although Mal was the future queen of Auradon, at heart she'd always be their goofy friend.

Mal turned to find Audrey staring at her with disdain. Her smile immediately faded. This couldn't be good.

"Congratulations. You won him fair and square." After a moment, Audrey cocked her head. "Oh, wait, no you didn't. You spelled Ben to destroy all of Auradon. Touching story for the grand-kids," she sneered.

"Okay." Ben clapped his hand, unaware of Audrey's comment. "Let's do this."

He glanced at his watch, then fist-bumped Jay and Carlos with new focus. They were expected elsewhere. The king was clearly in good spirits and ready to head to the Isle to pick up Dizzy, Celia, Squeaky, and Squirmy.

Mal flashed a fake smile at Audrey. "Speaking of kids, we have some kids waiting on us. So, if you'll excuse me . . ."

Mal took a few steps, until she suddenly stopped to turn on her heels to look at Audrey. "The spell never worked," she revealed. "Ben knew about it from the very beginning—the day _after_ he broke up with you—and silently waited until I attempted to break it. The reason it didn't work? He was already in love with me, so yes, I did win him fair and square."

Mal walked off, leaving a stony Audrey behind—

Whose darkness grew even more.


	30. Descendants 3: Chapter 2

**Here is the next chapter!**

**I forgot to tell you that I'm out of town for a week, visiting my grand-mother in another state. The day for her usually ends at five, so I have a LOT of time to work on the story, which explains why you are getting a chapter a day and late at night (in my area). Don't expect it to stay like that!**

**This chapter does not have that many references to Kingdom Hearts. **

_**HOWEVER:**_** there is foreshadowing for a major event that will take place in one of the last chapters. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A crowd of Isle kids and has-been villains stared at the shiny purple limo in awe. Its sparkling finish stood out against the dingy film that seemed to cover everything on the Isle.

Smee, wearing a striped shirt and a red cap, hugged his two mini-mes and gave them each a quick kiss on the head.

"All right, boys, let's hit the road," Jay said enthusiastically, throwing his arm around an anxious Squeaky, who wore on red glove on his right hand.

"You're gonna see him soon," Carlos reassured a fearful Squirmy, who wore one red glove on his left hand. He gently led toward the car. Carlos, who'd been filled with trepidation himself during his first trip to Auradon, empathized with the twins. But he knew the sweet boys would flourish in their new environment, and he would be there to look after them.

In contrast to the nervous brothers, Dizzy was ecstatic about traveling to Auradon. She'd always dreamed of living in the magical land and couldn't kick-start her new adventure fast enough.

"Do you have everything?" asked her grandmother Lady Tremaine, looking grim as usual in her high-collared crimson dress. Her hair, piled in a colossal pompadour, only added to the wicked grandmother's stern air.

"Yes, I have everything," Dizzy insisted. Her hair was fastened in two top-knots secured with turquoise flower barrette she made herself. She couldn't wait to create her signature accessories out of all the rich materials she'd find across the bay.

"Are you sure?" asked Lady Tremaine. Her voice sounded cold.

Dizzy rolled her eyes. "I'm sure, Grammy."

Lady Tremaine raised her eyebrow questioningly. "Oh, really?" She held up a small object.

"My glue gun!" Dizzy gushed as she eagerly grabbed the item. She couldn't believe she'd almost forgotten her prized crafting tool.

"I don't know what you're going to do without me," remarked her grand-mother, feigning indifference.

Dizzy held her hands to her chest. "I'll miss you."

"Go on." Lady Tremaine tugged at her brooch, fighting hard not to show emotion.

Evie, who'd been watching the touching exchange, gave Dizzy an encouraging wink. Dizzy threw her arms wide open and surprised her granny with an enormous heartfelt hug. Then Dizzy skipped with glee to join the others leaving for Auradon Prep.

Last to approach the car was Celia, dressed in a wild multicolored skirt and jacket and flanked by Ben and Mal. "Let me get this for you," Mal offered, reaching for Celia's backpack. But Dr. Facilier's plucky, independent daughter wanted no help. She flung her backpack into the trunk with attitude.

King Ben closed the trunk before announcing, "Okay, let's go and do—" He stopped mid-sentence as Celia strutted away toward the limo without acknowledging him. "Let's do this," he finished, sharing a laugh with Mal. They could tell Celia was going to be a handful.

With everyone squished tightly in the vehicle and buckled in, Jay climbed into the driver's seat and revved the engine. He grinned devilishly as he steered the limo down the narrow streets and railed it around the neighborhood's craggy corner. He rocketed the royal car toward the enchanted bridge that would magically appear to connect the dismal Isle of the Lost with the dazzling United States of Auradon.

Inside the limo, the VKs buzzed with anticipation. It was the first time any of the younger four had been in a car, and it showed. There were so many shiny buttons to press and switches to pull. Life in Auradon was already more fascinating than life on the Isle, and they hadn't even left yet.

The car was just the start of all the exciting new things that awaited the VKs in Auradon. Evie patted Dizzy's encouragingly. "As soon as you get to Auradon, you have to try ice cream," Evie insisted, whose long blue hair hung straight and shiny that morning.

"And go swimming!" Dizzy squealed enthusiastically.

"I can take you to the Enchanted Lake," Evie offered. They were going to have so much fun together. Evie had made a long list of things she couldn't wait to introduce Dizzy to—ballet, volleyball, the periodic table. For Evie, the only thing better than living in Auradon was getting to share it with others.

Dizzy nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "I can't believe I get to live with you in your very own castle!"

"It's just a starter castle," Evie insisted humbly. She was proud of herself; she bought the charming home with the profits from her wildly successful fashion line.

Squirmy sat shotgun and nervously clutched at Jay's firm bicep with every wild turn. As Jay pried the younger's tightly clenched fingers from his arm, he noticed the kid's strength. "Great grip," Jay complimented. "You play any sports?"

In the limo's back seat, Carlos handed Squeaky an enormous chocolate peanut butter cup. "Here, go on. Trust me on this," Carlos told him, recalling his first delicious taste of chocolate in that very limo on his initial trip across the bridge. He was eager to watch someone else enjoy it for the first time.

Squeaky eyed the sweet object suspiciously, then took a bite. His reaction was nothing short of euphoric, which was exactly what Carlos had counted on. He laughed when Squeaky quickly took a second bite. "I know." Carlos placed his arm around Squeaky's shoulder. "Dig in, dig in."

Celia, who seemed to not have a care in the world, fanned out her fortune cards in her hand and attempted to read King Ben's fortune. "You're going to be a wise and brave king," she predicted grandly.

Mal, who had rested her head on Ben's shoulder, argued, "He already is."

"See? The cards never lie," Celia mused. She held out her palm to Ben, demanding payment.

Flustered, Ben fished for some munny from his wallet to give to the fortune-telling VK. She looked thrilled to receive such generous payment. Mal had no doubt that Celia was going to require a little extra work.

Mal nestled her head into Ben's neck, but he felt something strange. Laying a hand against her forehead and then her cheeks, Ben deduced, "You're burning up. Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?"

"I didn't want you to worry," Mal admitted almost stubbornly. "It started before we crossed over the barrier."

"You're probably exhausted from Ben emitting so much of his light earlier," Carlos joked, maybe to convince himself that Mal was fine. "He did almost blind everyone."

The newly engaged couple locked eyes, their gazes showing concern for one-another. "Used too much?" Ben wondered quietly.

Mal nodded lightly, her head aching worse with each shake. "I just need some rest," she reassured, though she didn't act too convinced herself. "Maybe twelve to sixteen hours of sleep."

Ben kissed her forehead as he pulled her closer to him, muttering in her ear, "We'll be home soon."

* * *

At Auradon Prep, the crowd watched the video screen's love feed with mounting suspense. Right before their eyes, the magical barrier that separated Auradon and the Isle began to open. It was an incredible sight. But not everyone was impressed.

"The only reason they should be opening that barrier is to be putting Uma back in, not letting more villains out," Queen Leah scoffed with a disapproving scowl.

On the Isle of the Lost, a riotous mass congregated on Bridge Plaza, in part to bid farewell to the four chosen students, but mostly to witness their own eyes the normally impassable barrier open. It had been a long time since any of them had seen magic, which had been rendered impossible on the Isle of the Lost.

With the barrier flickering open, the regal limo started to make its way through. Jay gripped the wheel and drove with focus as the crowd pointed and snarled. The disgruntled onlookers seemed ready to cause serious trouble. Jay resolved to get the limo across safely, without any hitchhiking thieves of uninvited passengers.

Before Jay could finish that thought, a rugged scoundrel with faded rock-star good looks, spiked blue hair, and hollow, sunken eyes forcefully pushed and elbowed his way to the front of the raucous crowd. The crowd scurried aside in fear as he barged to the front and bee-lined for the bridge. He noticed the barrier was starting to close and broke into a fast run.

Just as the barrier was about to finish closing, Evie turned to watch the unfolding chaos through the car's back window. She couldn't help feeling a tinge of disappointment. The day had been going so smoothly; it was just like a villain to ruin it. Evie immediately recognized the blue-haired interloper.

"It's Hades!" she warned, pointing at the rebel dressed in his signature gray chiton, gray T-shirt, and studded leather coat etched with blue flames. "Stop the car. He's trying to escape!"

Mal twisted around and gasped with alarm. Hades was no ordinary villain. As the great god of the Underworld and vicious collector of souls, Hades ranked with Mal's mother, Maleficent, at the top of the evil-o-meter. Next to Maleficent, Hades caused the most havoc and mischief for the Keyblade wielders, as he had been involved in most of their journeys. Mal knew the trouble he could wreak if he escaped to the mainland.

The immortal villain strode furiously toward the rapidly closing barrier. After years of suffering on the Isle, he would not miss his fleeting chance at freedom and revenge on King Beast. With a keen eye, he noticed a sliver-sized crack that remained open in the barrier. The small gap was all he needed. Hades thrust his mighty hands through the breach and strained to widen it.

The royal vehicle screeched to a violent halt mid-bridge. Within seconds, Mal leaped from the limo, telling herself it was her duty to keep Auradon safe, no matter how poorly she felt. She would _not_ let Hades pass.

Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben jumped out of the limo as well, while the younger kids craned their necks to watch the action from the safety of the back seat. Their eyes were glued on Hades as he struggled with the closing barrier.

"I am a god!" he bellowed furiously. "I don't belong here!"

Hades's sculpted muscles bulged with effort. Summoning every bit of his colossal strength, he pried open the barrier just wide enough to push his right fist through. Wicked glee flooded his face as he opened his tightly clenched hand to reveal a small blue ember. The magical ember, which for decades had remained dull and dormant on the Isle, came to life the second it hit Auradon's air. The light from the ember made his eyes glow dangerously.

With his hands and arms completely through the barrier, Hades squeezed his head and shoulder through next. Like the ember before it, Hades's spiked hair burst into scorching blue and white flames the instant it crossed into Auradon. After years of being held in abeyance, Hades's almighty magic surged through him.

He cackled darkly, then aimed the blazing blue ember in his hand directly at Mal's friends. It released a magical hot blue laser beam in their direction. Ben, Jay, and Carlos were struck to the ground by the powerful blue force while Evie backed away toward the limo. Hades forged toward them.

"No!" Mal screamed. She would not let Hades harm those she treasured most.

Her angry eyes flashed bright green and she vanished in a cloud of swirling purple smoke. In a glimmer, Mal reemerged as a glorious purple dragon with opalescent scales, a spiky barbed tail, two curved horns, and an enormous and intimidating wingspan.

Dragon Mal spread her exquisite wings and swooped down on Hades. He was undaunted. To someone who had seen every monstrous creature imaginable in the Underworld, a dragon was nothing to fear. In fact, after years of Isle idleness, the diabolical villain welcomed the fight.

Although . . . he had an entirely different plan.

With a feign snarl, Hades raised his right arm and hurled his crackling ember at Mal. The sizzling stone released a piercing blue laser light that locked on to Dragon Mal and began to drain her awesome power.

That was new. Dragon Mal shook her head in disbelief. How was he doing that? Severely weakened, she dropped lower and lower in the sky.

Jay, Carlos, and Ben exchanged frightened looks. The teens had heard about Hades's incomparable magic, but until that day, it'd been just another fright-time story parents told their kids before bed. Now they watched in terror as Hades easily overpowered their friend.

* * *

At Auradon Prep, the crowd of gathered students and onlookers gasped and screamed, their eyes glued to the terrifying sight on the screen. They watched in shock as Mal, incapacitated, flapped helplessly toward the ground.

Fairy Godmother valiantly vaulted onto the platform, grabbed the mic, and attempted to take swift control of the situation. "Do not panic, okay? Nobody needs to panic!"

Unlike the others, Audrey seemed to revel in the developing turmoil. "There's your precious queen," she snarled, pointing toward a depleted Mal on the live feed. "She can't even protect us!"

As if on cue, Hades's sinister face and monstrous flaming hair filled the screen threateningly. Even Fairy Godmother was spooked. She took one look at the screen and screamed. "Okay, we're panicking. Bibbiddi-bobbiddi run!" she shrieked, and bounded away. Terrified students followed the headmistress's example, becoming hysterical and scattering hastily.

Amidst the chaos, they once again failed to notice the growing darkness, who helped to fuel the conflict and fear.

* * *

Back on the Isle, Jay watched the battle with grave concern. "C'mon, Mal, blast him," he bellowed. His encouragement gave Mal the extra boost of confidence she needed.

With her final burst of energy, Dragon Mal reared back, opened her jaw wide, and prepared to release fiery havoc on Hades. But to her and everyone else's surprise, instead of unleashing a fireball, the dragon exhaled mightily and hit Hades with a forceful gust of air, which blew out his burning hair and extinguished his blazing ember.

Hades tumbled back to the Isle with a thud. The magical barrier immediately shut and resealed, recondemning Hades to Isle imprisonment.

Dizzy, Squeaky, Squirmy, and Celia hopped out of the limo. Battle-worn, Dragon Mal landed on the limo roof and morphed back into an everyday tough-as-nails teenage girl, although a little singed. Concerned, but mainly surprised by how much better she felt.

Evie and Ben ran to Mal to help her down, though no help was really needed. They were legitimately terrified for their friend. In all the years Evie had known Mal, she had never seen Mal come so close to defeat. "Hey, are you okay?" Evie asked as she patted down Mal's charred dress hem.

Mal caught her breath. With an uneasy feeling in her chest, she opened up to her friend. "He was draining my magic with his ember. I felt all of my powers slipping away." A shiver ran through Mal as she relived the moment, however. . .

"It felt like he drained some of m—Ben's light from my body," she added hesitantly, "and now, _somehow_, I'm not feeling ill."

Ben masked his surprise as best as he could, grateful that none of their friends understood what she truly meant. Meanwhile, Evie had never seen Mal that shaken; she was clearly rattled to her bones. Unsure of how to help, Evie tried to be there for her friend. "It's okay," she promised, "he's back where he belongs."

"For now," Mal argued. She stared at the villain through the barrier with a frown.

"We should go," whispered Jay.

"Okay," agreed Mal.

Leaning on her friends for physical and emotional support, she allowed her friends to lead her back to the car.

Before she entered the limousine, Hades shouted, "Hey, Princess!"

On instinct, Mal whipped her head back to the Isle, mentally chiding herself for doing such a thing around her friends.

"I did you a favor," he insisted convincingly. "Next time, gain control of your power on your own. Your life depends on it."

Choosing not to say anything, Mal climbed into the vehicle with her friends.

She would need them more than ever now.


	31. Descendants 3: Chapter 3

**A lot of things happen this chapter. I put all these events together because of one majorly important item. **

**This item . . . is a second option, as someone will call it.**

**You'll understand what I mean in a future chapter. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Audrey sat on her queen-sized bed and sketched furiously in a rose-colored journal trimmed with gold scrolling. Dressed in a beaded bodysuit with pink leather pants and an open leather duster, pink ankle boots, pink feather earrings, and a sweet bluebird charm necklace, Audrey screamed _goody-goody_. As did everything about her dorm room, with its pink curtains, pink bedding, and pink marble fireplace. A glinting crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Several handsomely framed portraits of Audrey and Ben through the years received prime placement on the fireplace mantel. In one particularly sweet photo, a cherubic five-year-old Audrey was seated on a miniature gold throne next to Prince Ben, who wore a teensy-tiny Auradon crown and held out a matching one toward Audrey. It was an adorable depiction of their destined royal future together.

Audrey looked up from her journal land scowled at the old photo, a sharp reminder of what was never to be. She'd followed all the rules and waited patiently, but when the time finally came, Ben chose Mal. A villain! Audrey's heart shattered all over again at the thought of his cruel rejection.

She returned her attention to her journal and attacked the page with angry strokes of the pencil. The sketch she drew was haunting: a majestic portrait of herself as Auradon's queen, wearing a resplendent gold-and-sapphire crown atop her head. Audrey's brown eyes filled with tears. She looked at her sketch and wondered, _What happened to my happy ending?_

She hurled her journal across the room and strode to her dorm room door, grabbing a fireplace poker on her way out. Her face was set with resolution. If she couldn't be Ben's queen, then she'd show Auradon. Ben wanted a villain. Well, he'd get one.

Mal wasn't the only one who could succeed at breaking and entering.

* * *

A CLOSED sign hung on the wrought iron doors of the Auradon Museum of Cultural History. Behind it a single guard slept obliviously at his post. Audrey snuck across the silent museum lobby, which held her mother's spinning wheel. She crept past a glass case displaying Genie of Agrabah's lamp and another exhibiting Cinderella's glass slipper, then stood thoughtfully in front of the security console.

Without a sound, she deftly turned knobs and pushed buttons, which shut off alerts and silenced alarms. She swiftly climbed the steep foyer stairs, proud of her first successful foray into crime. See? There was nothing to this being-evil thing.

On the second floor, Audrey crept down a dimly lit hallway and tiptoed into the museum's Room of Crowns. It was a gilded gallery that showcased the glorious tiaras and crowns of the queens and kings of fairy tales past. When Audrey was a young girl, the regal room had been her happy place.

Tonight, she walked by the dazzling tiaras of everyday royals and headed straight to the far end of the room. A sign read _Crown of the Queen of Auradon_. She pulled back the blue velvet curtain and bounded up the few steps to a lit glass that held the breathtaking crown. The gem-covered object of beauty was the same magnificent two-tiered gold, diamond, and sapphire crown Audrey had drawn herself wearing.

In accordance with kingdom tradition, the crown was meant to sit on the head of King Ben's chosen queen—which, Audrey fumed, was supposed to be her. Oh, how she coveted the stunning crown and everything it represented. She was not about to sit by and let the most precious heirloom in the land be worn by that dreadful daughter of Maleficent. She'd sooner steal the beloved crown than let that happen. Audrey was tired of playing nice.

With anger and hurt boiling in her blood, Audrey hoisted the iron poker in the air and smashed the glass case.

At the sound of the shattered glass, something evil awoke down the hall in the museum's Room of the Dark Arts. As if roused by Audrey's villainous intentions, Maleficent's scepter, which had sat dormant on a spotlighted pedestal since Ben's Coronation, began to pulse with an eerie green light. There was something ominous and wicked about its glow.

Meanwhile, Audrey stood in the Room of Crowns among the scattered shards of glass, with the iron poker at her feet. She grabbed the majestic sapphire-laden crown from the case and raised it defiantly above her head.

Suddenly, a red velvet curtain flapped open across the room. A green-tinged light cascaded in from a hidden chamber behind it. Audrey, mesmerized by the sinister light, clutched the prized crown in her manicured hand. She glided down the steps and followed the mysterious beacon. In all her years of school field trips and family outings to the museum, Audrey had never set foot in the Room of the Dark Arts.

And now it beckoned her.

The hypnotic glow emanated from Maleficent's scepter. Audrey floated to the forbidden object, drawn to its promise of unlimited power and sweet revenge. In the presence of the scepter, Audrey changed her mind. The night was no longer about the mere theft of the bejeweled crown. The scepter had opened Audrey's eyes to the possibility of much more than that.

An excellent student, Audrey knew the museum housed only one object powerful enough to assist in that goal, and that artifact had once belonged to Mal's mom. Now it would belong to her.

How fitting.

Her gaze darted about the Room of the Dark Arts and stopped on a straw basket lined with a red-and-white gingham napkin and filled with a dozen of Evil Queen's poisoned apples. With a quick sweep of her arm, Audrey cleared the basket from its pedestal and set down the bejeweled crown in its place.

She'd take the scepter instead.

She strode toward Maleficent's staff, her gait powered by awe and hunger, but then she paused, turned around, and returned to retrieve the crown. She didn't have to choose between the queen's crown and the deadly scepter. Ben wanted a true villain? Well, a true villain would steal both.

So, she did.

Audrey placed the queen's crown regally on her own head. With her self-coronation complete, Queen Audrey yanked the pulsing scepter off its stand. The orb changed at her touch, instantly turning a more menacing shade of green. Audrey's eyes widened as the potent evil force swept through her body, transforming the prissy pink princess into a dark, dangerous sorceress.

Audrey's evil new look was heart-stopping. Her pale, anemic hair had turned a rich magenta ombre, flowing from deep rose at the roots to midnight blue at the tips. Her demure pastel pink outfit was no more. In its place, she wore a wicked getup of black-and-blush fitted leather pants and a tea-length duster with alarming black feather accents. Her necklace now featured two charms, a bright bluebird and a dark black raven. Audrey looked like a warrior enchantress—gorgeous, menacing, and scary.

A maniacal look washed over Audrey's pretty face as she decided to take Maleficent's scepter for a test run. She raised the staff aloft and unleashed its power on the crystal chandelier above. The fixture shattered in a menacing cascade of glass and light. Audrey's nefarious laugh echoed throughout the museum as the darkness that surrounded her became more prominent. Being an evil queen was going to be fun.

However . . . there was one other object in the museum that would make Audrey's revenge even more enjoyable.

Within the first month that the Core Four came to Auradon, it became common knowledge that Mal had a deep infatuation for the Keyblade called Way to Dawn. Some say she wished she would have the ability to wield it one day. That very weapon, though now broken beyond repair, has been put on display in an exhibit that has yet to be completed.

What better way to make Mal suffer than taking the one thing she precious most; maybe even more than her friends?

With a new villainous spring in her step, Audrey used the power of the scepter to travel to the top floor of the museum. The Gallery of Keyblade Warriors had been moved to a separate floor of its own since not everything could fit in one small section of the museum. Each time that the exhibit had to be moved, Yen Sid would travel from the Isle to personally move the Keyblade. The heroes that were involved with the wielders' journeys feared that if someone else were to attempt touch the weapon, it would flee to who knows where until the rightful owner claimed it.

No longer caring about making messes, Audrey used the end of the scepter to bust the glass case that protected people from the Way to Dawn. As the 'Queen of Mean' moved forward to take the Keyblade for herself, a bright light surrounded the weapon for a mere second before it simply vanished. Audrey gazed around the room before shrugging carelessly.

She may not have the Keyblade, but Mal couldn't have it either.

And that would be the only thing _Queen_ Audrey would allow to slip through her fingers.

* * *

Ben's picturesque palace was built from gleaming white masonry and sat perched on a noble hilltop overlooking the rocky bay. It featured round turrets, tall regal spires, and a wide rampart that encircled the entire property. The countless palace wings included an armory, a stable, a formal conference room, a ballroom, a carriage house, and, because he was such a thoughtful son, suites for both of his parents.

Belle's parlor was painted a sunny buttercup yellow with white trim. The cheery room was filled with cushy floral couches, fresh flower arrangements, and a baby grand piano. King Ben and Mal stood in the parlor and huddled urgently with Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother. The tension in the air was thick.

"I think we all know why we're here," Beast began, his bushy brows furrowed behind his black-framed glasses. "The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out."

Fairy Godmother spoke up with concern. "Who knows what he would have done if he escaped?" She _tsk_ed, imagining the horrid repercussions.

Beast, one the king himself, narrowed his eyes and stated his true feelings with authority. "We can't risk having another villain escape."

Everyone agreed, but no one had a solution.

Mal pursed her lips. "I really feel like it's my fault," she claimed. "I'm supposed to protect Auradon." She crossed her arms against her violet wrap dress and gazed down at the floor in dismay.

"You did—you do—protect Auradon," Ben reassured, giving Mal his full support. "It's not your fault you were so sick."

"But it was," Mal argued with a soft sigh. "If only I had more control . . ."

"You can't blame yourself," Ben argued stubbornly. "No one taught you how. No one could!"

Beast shook his head, taking any thought of responsibility off Mal and placing it firmly on the impenetrable barrier—or rather on its numerous recent openings. "Every time we open the barrier, we're exposed to danger." He shuddered at the sentiment and listed the vicious villains who'd cleverly escaped the Isle. "Maleficent. Uma. Hades." This was why he'd created the Isle and its barrier in the first place: to keep their enemies out.

_Beeeeeeep!_

Ben's cell phone sounded its high-pitched alert. Ben took his phone from his message, and stepped back in shock. His eyes narrowed as he reread the text. As if the day could get any worse. . .

"Maleficent's scepter and the queen's crown have been stolen," he revealed with dread.

Everyone else in the room gasped in unison.

"Uma," Beast roared, shaking his sizable fist in the air.

The group exchanged fearful glanced at the thought.

Stressed, Ben ran his hands through his sandy-brown hair. "We don't know that, Dad." But even he wasn't convinced as he said it.

Before more could be said, Ben's phone ringed once again. Checking the new message, Ben's jaw dropped at the new revelation. "Way to Dawn is missing," he announced in shock. "The backup security cameras caught the Keyblade vanishing before the thief could take it. The criminal is unidentifiable in the video."

At the proclamation, Mal shook her head with new resolution, despite having her heart broken by the news. "Then the perpetrator can't be Uma," she insisted. "The only VKs that know about the Way to Dawn being at the museum is me, Jay, Carlos, and Evie. Everyone else believes that the Keyblade is still in the Dark Realm."

Belle crossed to Beast and grabbed his arm. "When people hear such an important weapon is missing, they'll never come out of their houses!" she exclaimed, and looked out at the kingdom through the large bay window. "What do we tell them?"

The sun shone through the gauzy curtain, but the mood inside the room was dark and somber. These were troubling times. The room fell silent, and Auradon's leaders contemplated all the horrific events of the past twenty-four hours.

Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother looked to Mal for guidance. With utmost respect and reverence, Belle asked, "Mal, what do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?" Her dread was palpable.

Mal felt the weight of everyone's eyes on her. The words she had to say were troublesome, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She struggled to get them out, knowing they would change the course of Auradon forever. "I think that there's only one way to guarantee their safety. And I think that there can't be any more in and out." She hesitated, then uttered the words she never thought she'd hear herself say. "I think we have to close the barrier. Forever."

Silence filled the room. But slowly, Beast, Belle, and Fairy Godmother nodded in agreement.

"No," Ben howled, refusing to accept the drastic measure.

"Son," Beast began empathetically.

"No!" Ben repeated forcefully. Disheartened and discouraged, he walked to the other side of the room to keep himself from using his darkness on accident. His soul felt crushed. There had to be another way.

"Ben," Mal called after him half-heartedly.

"No, no, no, no, no," the king repeated as he started to pace in a panic. He refused to give up on the kids of the Isle.

Mal ran after Ben to help keep his darkness in check. After all, Fairy Godmother had yet to be let in on the family secrets.

"I do _not_ want to take away your dream," she asserted painfully. It had been her dream, too, to bring all the inculpable Isle kids to Auradon and give them a fresh start. But at what cost? "Because it was so _beautiful_ and _pure._ And it's why I fell in love with you."

Mal looked Ben in the eye, took both of his hands in hers, and grappled with what to do. She was new to this governing thing and found it terribly difficult to work out. "But as king and queen, what's our duty?"

Ben's voice caught in his throat. "To protect Auradon." He shook his head with uncertainty and took Mal's hand gently in his own. This went beyond anything he'd ever expected to ask Mal. "Do you know what that would mean?"

Mal's green eyes filled with tears. "I know what it means," she claimed, looking at Ben in defeat. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? Hadn't it been just the day before when they were welcoming the second wave of transfer students? "I am not prepared for it. I just think we have no other choice."

There was no way to open the barrier and bring Isle kids over without risking a villain breakout. So, from that point forward, children of the Isle would stay condemned to the Isle. The thought brought a lump to her throat.

Beast, Belle, and Fairy Godmother listened and somberly considered the grim solution. Beast turned toward Ben. "Son, Mal's right," he insisted.

"I just don't think we'd forgive ourselves if something happened," Mal stated.

She walked back toward the others and tugged at the dragon-and-heart pendant around her neck. She knew the true evil nature of many of the Isle's villains and imagined the worst. This was the only way she could completely protect Auradon and its people from harm.

Ben stared out the window and shook his head stubbornly.

No!

He refused to let his dream die.

"As long as I am king," Ben began forcefully as he turned to face the crowd, "the only that will happen to the barrier is it being taken down. It will _never_ be closed off."

"Ben," Mal chided while shaking her head. "Closing the barrier is the right thing to do."

"Because they,"—he gestured to his parents and Fairy Godmother—"tricked you into thinking it was the right thing to do. I said before that the Isle is part of Auradon and I still firmly believe it. We either take down the barrier or we do nothing. _End_ of _discussion_."

Casting a final, yet determined look at the rest of the Royal Council, Ben walked off to blow off some steam—

And to regain control of his darkness on his own.

* * *

In her starter castle, Evie listened with alarm as Mal confided in her, detailing all she knew about the museum break-in. Looking ever the professional in an asymmetrical polka-dot top and cropped wide-leg trousers, Evie found the news startling. "Who else knows about the scepter, crown, and Keyblade?" she wondered.

"No one," Mal replied. "I mean, think about it. People are scared enough as it is. We have to employ these entirely new safety measures."

The news vexed Evie. She put her head in her hand. Her next question had been eating away at her since Mal had begun to tell the story. "Will this delay our bringing over more VKs?" A cloud of apprehension and concern fell over her face.

Mal avoided making eye contact. "The Royal Council has almost made a decision about closing the barrier for good," she admitted with difficulty. She felt horrible about the words as soon as she said them. She knew Evie would be crushed.

Mal was right. Evie was appalled at the very suggestion. "But you're the reason they haven't." She glanced at Mal expectantly.

Mal hesitated. She'd watched Evie spend months working tirelessly on the VK Day project. Transferring kids from the Isle to Auradon meant everything to her bestie. She couldn't bear to break Evie's heart with the complicated truth. Instead, she stayed silent and lied by omission.

"I mean, the four of us are living the dream here and finally get to share it. What could be more important than that?" Evie questioned.

"Yeah, I know," Mal said, raising her voice and doing her best to match Evie's outraged tone. She didn't want to appear culpable for the decision. "I mean, maybe security? Or maybe peace of mind for everyone in Auradon?" she offered tentatively. Mal hoped Evie might see things from the other perspective. But all she saw in Evie's eyes was frustration and hurt.

"Is that what they're thinking? M, are they seriously thinking that no one will ever go in or out of the Isle ever again? I mean, what, we never get to go back and see our parents?" Evie wasn't running home for mother-daughter makeovers with Evil Queen anytime soon, but she liked knowing she had the option. The idea of _never_ was just so . . . well, final. "And what about these kids? We promised them they could go back and visit whenever they wanted."

"Yeah, I know." Mal looked into Evie's concerned eyes and nearly crumbled under the guilt.

Evie stood up and closed the distance between them. She put her arm around Mal and searched for the positive: and Isle-born villain kid would soon sit on the throne. "M, I am so glad that you're going to be queen. You will be part of these conversations. You will stand up for the VKs. Thank you for telling me."

Evie hugged Mal, and her embrace was full of gratitude and love. "You will be a great queen," Evie reassured. "I know you are upset about the Way to Dawn, but maybe it is waiting for the perfect time to reveal itself to you. After all, everyone knows how much you love that blade."

Mal nodded miserably and couldn't bear to look in the eye. Even if the Keyblade did appear—

She no longer felt worthy enough to wield it.


	32. Descendants 3: Chapter 4

**Chapter is done a few hours ahead of the 'usual' schedule. There are only a couple references in this chapter, but this chapter is needed to lead up to tomorrow's chapter—**

**Where our special guest returns.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Mouthwatering birthday cake was no longer a novelty for Mal, but she was looking forward to Jane's party other reasons. The past couple of days had been uber-intense, and she gladly welcomed a few hours with her friends at the Enchanted Lake. She'd wrapped Jane's present in a big purple gift bag and was wearing new purple denim skorts for the special occasion. But no sooner had Mal exited the glass French doors to Evie's place than she was greeted by a mysterious explosion of billowing pink smoke.

"I was hoping you were home." Mal heard the familiar voice of Sleeping Beauty's daughter, whipped her head around, and stared at Audrey incredulously. Audrey looked utterly villainous. She cradled Maleficent's scepter in her right hand and, with an air of entitlement, wore the queen's majestic sapphire crown on top of her magenta ombre hair.

"Huh? Is this a joke?" asked Mal, sincerely wondering if the precious princess was off to another one of her lame costume balls. "What are you doing with the crown and the scepter?"

Audrey glared at Mal, spite radiating from her eyes, and extinguished any ideas of humor. "Well, I wanted them, so I took them. You of all people should understand that, Mal," she hissed, taking a thinly veiled jab at Mal for stealing Ben from her.

Mal looked Audrey up and down suspiciously. The orb of Maleficent's scepter glowed venomously. Audrey seemed to be drinking in its power as a new veil of darkness surrounded her. Mal tried not to freak out, but this was bad—really, really bad. Mal was all too familiar with the destructive powers of her mother's loathsome staff and the dangers of someone with light suddenly changing to darkness.

Audrey glared at her nemesis. Then she crouched down, cradling the scepter, as if to cast a spell.

"Wait, Audrey, stop. Don't use that!" Mal begged, desperately trying to think of a way to disarm her.

"I thought you like spells," purred Audrey, relishing her upper hand.

Mal's alarm heightened. She had to convince Audrey to relinquish the scepter before the vengeful princess did something she'd regret. Perhaps she should appeal to her as a friend. Mal tried to employ her sweetest-sounding voice. "Okay, Audrey—"

Audrey interrupted Mal right there. She wasn't buying Mal's chummy act, not for a minute. "Quiet!" She ordered. With a savage blow, she struck the glowing scepter on the ground and released a worrying shower of bright sparks.

Mal genuinely quivered. "That's not a toy!" she exclaimed. "It's dangerous."

Audrey's eyes teemed with evil intent. "I _want_ to be dangerous. My life was perfect until you stole it! And then Auradon turned its back on me." Audrey pivoted in place, whipped around her luscious hair, and stormed away with attitude. "It's time for a little payback," she muttered ominously.

Wanting to at least distract Audrey—or perhaps she needed to know for herself—Mal interrogated, "What happened to the Way to Dawn?"

"It's gone." Audrey spun around with a villainous glare. "Just like you'll be."

Audrey threw her head back cackling as she waved the luminous scepter in Mal's direction, cursing her with a flash of light. When the pink smoke cleared, its effect left Mal speechless. The hex had transformed Mal into a shriveled old woman. Mal's glossy purple hair had turned a sickly shade of gray, and her once-porcelain skin was covered with deep wrinkles and liver spots. Her chic purple vest was replaced with a ratty wool cloak. Mal looked down at her withered hands and winced.

Audrey soaked up Mal's pained reaction and laughed with glee. "Think Ben will love you now, you old hag?" Audrey lifted the scepter to the sky triumphantly. "You'll pay the price for what you did, and so will all of Auradon."

Alerted by the commotion, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Celia burst out of the house. They stopped short on the driveway when they saw Audrey in possession of the magical objects, then gawked when they saw Mal's monstrous makeover.

Audrey took a moment to bask in everyone's shocked, then snickered. Twirling around, she disappeared in a puffy cloud of pink smoke. "So long, suckers!" Revenge really was glorious.

Jay rushed to Mal's aid but accidentally recoiled in revulsion when he saw her up close. "Whoa! Ah, you might want to think of a spell for that." He winced.

"There's no spell that can reverse the curse of the scepter," responded Mal. Her voice sounded gravelly and old.

"Well, that's a shame," Carlos muttered, and looked away with a grimace.

Mal shook her head of wiry gray hair, then squinted her eyes, crow's-feet and all, toward the remaining wisps of Audrey's pink smoke. "Forget about me. Audrey's out for revenge. Auradon's in danger." Mal knew from firsthand experience with her mother: that scepter was dangerous in the hands of a woman scorned.

"What should we do?" Evie asked.

Mal looked at her frantic friends. "The only thing more powerful than the scepter is Hades's ember."

"Like he's just going to hand it over to you after you blew him back to the Isle," Jay pointed out as he raised one eyebrow in suspicion.

"No one knows where his lair is," Evie argued as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Celia piped up. "I do. I'm his errand rat. I've got the key at my dad's."

Mal pointed at Celia with authority—well, as much authority as an old hunchback could muster. "You're coming."

"But I just got here," Celia whined disappointingly. She had expected to revel in more of Auradon's beauty and riches before returning to the Isle. And to eat more cake.

In truth, returning to the Isle wasn't anyone's first choice for how to spend the day, but there was no other way. They had to retrieve the ember to safeguard Auradon.

Just then, Dizzy appeared in the doorway, holding Squeaky's and Squirmy's hands. They were all spruced up and ready to leave for Jane's party. "Mal?" asked Dizzy, her voice cracking with confusion.

As realization hit, Dizzy shrieked in terror. The twins buried their faces in fear.

Evie's heart went out to the terrified kids. "Dizzy, stay here and take care of the twins. We'll be right back and everything is going to be just fine. Go inside," she instructed, hoping the younger VKs bought her fake-confidence act. Then she turned to Carlos, Jay, and Celia. "Guys, go get your stuff."

While others ran inside Evie's castle, Mal turned and whispered to Evie, "How bad is it?" She flashed a near-toothless grin.

"You age beautifully," Evie reassured her with a quick smile. "Now let's just get you into something fabulous, okay?"

Evie was halfway to the front door when she realized elderly Mal would walk at an extremely slow pace. When she turned around to help her friend, Evie found Mal had collapsed on the ground, but somehow looking younger and more like her old self.

"Mal!" Evie shouted in concern as she helped her dear _old_ friend stand. For some odd reason, Mal had all of her teeth again and looked more like she would if she had aged naturally. Evie eyed her friend in suspicion. "I thought you said only the ember could break the spell."

"It's like when I grabbed the scepter a few years ago," Mal insisted stubbornly. "The curse of a thousand years sleep didn't affect me badly because I had my mother's blood. Once Audrey was out of range, the affect of the curse changed."

Mal was grateful Evie didn't question her and went along with it.

She was more grateful she didn't faint from using so much of her light in her weakened state.

A little while later, senior citizen Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos peeled through the forest on their custom-detailed motorbikes, with Celia riding on the back of Mal's. On a normal day, the VKs loved to take their tricked-out bikes for a spin, but there was no joy in that day's ride as they headed toward their unfortunate mission. The group, all wearing helmets in their signature colors, pulled to a stop on a rocky bluff and looked out across Auradon Bay. Not one of them was excited to return home.

Mal lifted her safety goggled. Her wrinkled eyes flashed green and she incanted from memory: "_Noble steeds, proud and fair, you shall take us anywhere_." With a zing of enchantment, the motorbikes roared to like and magically zipped across the surface of the sea toward the Isle.

Celia had _not_ seen that coming in her fortune cards.

* * *

The VKs four motorbikes landed amid the lively atmosphere of the French Quarter. Mal removed her bike helmet and immediately brought her hands to her face. The deep wrinkles, saggy skin, and old-lady hair had been replaced by her flawless complexion and signature lush purple locks. The powerful curse of Audrey's scepter had been broken. "Heeeeeeey, I'm me again!" she cheered with a grateful laugh.

"Duh." Celia rolled her eyes. "Evil magic doesn't work here. Kinda the point."

"Woo, welcome back," Evie greeted. She threw her arm around her pal, relieved that the spell had lifted.

"Thank you." Mal was ecstatic to be back to her ol—_younger_ self. She smiled as they followed Celia, who led them down a dark run-down lane.

Celia looked around her hood and realized it felt to good to be home. After a thick steel door slid open, the five travelers pushed through a set of opaque curtains, then entered the shrouded hideaway through the open mouth of a forty-foot-tall laughing carnival mask. The rowdy room was packed with villain kids of all ages. There was no arguing that Dr. Facilier's business was booming.

Dr. Facilier, looking rakish in a magenta crushed-velvet suit and a silk top hat with a purple plume, greeted his daughter with pure delight. He rushed to meet Celia on the arcade floor, where the two busted into an impressive coordinated dance. The adorably elaborate routine was clearly the way the pair greeted each other all the time.

With the secret salutation complete, Dr. Facilier hugged his daughter tightly. "Come, here, you little rascal." His face was illuminated with the kind of joy brought on by an excellent surprise. It was clear from Celia's giant grin that she was equally elated to see her pops.

Mal and her friends took in the sweet family scene and exchanged heartfelt glances. Dr. Facilier and Celia were like two thieves in a pod. It was so different from the other VKs' experience with their own parents. They weren't used to see love like this in a villain family.

Well . . . at one time it was different for Mal. Mal, when she was five years old, had a loving parent that did everything in their power to make her happy. Sadly, that changed when the parent left without her and never returned.

While Celia spoke with her father, the Core Four strolled around the arcade. Toward the front, Carlos stood in front of an ancient antenna television and put in the two tokens it required to start. The beat-up set sprang to life and an Auradon newscast revealed that evil things were afoot across the sea. "Alerts of a sleeping spell keep coming in as it spreads throughout Auradon," the anchor announced, reporting live from circular driveway at Auradon Prep.

"Uh, guys, come look at this," Carlos called, dread filling his face.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos gathered around and watched the news in dismay. "There are rumors that Sleeping Beauty's daughter, Audrey is behind the spell," the reporter continued. "We are trying to discover who is responsible for these vicious lies and which evil villain perpetrated this evil."

The anchorman cocked his head, listened to his earphone, and spoke with urgency. "We have an update. It's moving this way! It's moving . . ."

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos sprinted outside, ready to rush back to Auradon and save the kingdom. There was just one problem: they had no way to get there.

Harry Hook, Gil, and two of their nasty pirate buds sat astride the VKs' motorbikes. Based on the laws of the street, their bikes were pirate booty now. The scallywags had even stolen their helmets.

"Wow. Rookie mistake," Carlos scolded himself, feeling foolish. The VKs knew better than to leave anything of value sitting out in the open around the Isle.

Captain Hook's son, who had a permanent smarmy smirk etched across his face, raised his left arm and mock-saluted Jay with his fake hook. "Long time no see," Harry greeted, his words drowning in his Isle pirate accent.

"Get off my bike, Hook!" Jay shouted. As the pirate rode off, Jay leaped deftly over random street rubbish to run after his bike.

"Catch me if you can, Jay," Harry dared him. His striking green eyes sparkled as he scooted down the French Quarter avenue.

Gil, son of Gaston, drove off next, wearing a brown leather shirt over his sizeable biceps and a brown bandana over his matted dirty-blond hair. He took his hands off the handlebars and waved his muscular arms in the air as he drove by.

Jay surveyed the French Quarter street, formulated a plan, and then, as if calling a play on the tourney field, instructed the others where to go. "Over the roofs, we'll cut them off!" he exclaimed, and scurried up the side of an old shack.

Evie and Carlos followed Jay's lead with no hesitation. Celia started to join the fray, but Mal grabbed the collar of the little fortune-teller's splashy jacket and brought her to a swift halt. "Hey, hey, hey," Mal chided. "They got this. You and me gotta find the ember."

"Good timing." Celia snapped her fingers. "It's right about his nap-time."

She turned on the wedge heel of her magenta bootie and led Mal in the opposite direction, through the maze of twisted alleys.


	33. Descendants 3: Chapter 5

**Our special guest is mentioned—**

**While the 'second option' appears.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Mal and Celia stood at the locked entrance of a run-down old mine shaft. It reeked of _bad idea_. The wire fence was marked with the same unnerving skull graphic as was on the pin Hades wore to fasten his chiton. Mal recoiled at the sight. Her eyes focused on the ominous NO TRESPASSING and GET LOST signs that covered the gate. She paused at one that read BEWARE OF DOG with a crude drawing of a foreboding Cerberus.

"Hey," Mal gestured to the sign. "How big is that dog?"

Celia looked at the sign before shaking her head adamantly. "The dog isn't what you need to worry about."

The young fortune-teller placed the skull-shaped key in the rusted lock and slowly opened the corroded gate. It squeaked. She entered the dark, dank shaft and motioned for Mal to follow. Mal looked down the dodgy passageway with concern. She feared what lay at the other end of the shaft.

Celia did nothing to calm those fears. "Stay quiet," the young girl warned ominously. "It echoes like crazy in here."

The dog's barking interrupted the silence, causing Mal to jump. She had a terrible feeling about this.

"Come on," Celia beckoned.

Celia grabbed a dirt-covered mining helmet, flicked on the headlamp, and climbed onto the front seat of a rusted-out rail cycle. Mal breathed deeply, grabbed a mining hat, and hopped onto the back seat. The things she was willing to do for Auradon . . .

Celia checked the jalopy's jerry-rigged lanterns and released the brake, and the girls pedaled into the craggy tunnel, which grew smaller with every inch they descended. When the shaft became too narrow for the mine cycle, they hopped off the rig, removed their mining helmets, and tiptoes toward a small tunnel opening.

The insistent dog barking kept Mal on edge. Celia disappeared down the chute. Mal hesitated for a moment, then followed close behind. The girls paused at the mouth of the tunnel and surveyed Hades's ramshackle chamber, which lay below. Mal was not impressed.

The god of the Underworld had converted an abandoned mining cave into his sooty make-do personal lair. The rocky walls were slick with minerals. Rotting support timbers stood throughout. An azure scarf covered a wobbly lampshade, bathing the entire room in a blue haze. With black sunglasses covering his blue eyes, Hades sat deep asleep on a shoddy throne. The immortal god's feet were perched on the armrest.

The vicious dog bark continued to pierce the air. Mal searched around frantically for the rabid Cerberus—until she noticed Celia indicating an old record that was circling on a dusty turntable. Okay, so she didn't need to beware of an actual dog. So . . . what did Mal have to worry about?

Celia locked eyes with Mal and nodded to the side. Mal followed her gaze. Smack-dab behind Hades's snoring head sat a small etched dish that held the coveted blue ember. Mal looked at Celia, nodding in confirmation before sliding into the villain's private quarters.

Mal crept nimbly through the disheveled chamber and angled toward the blue ember. The space was dead quiet except for the canine recording, which rasped and scratched in an irksome way. Annoyed by the grating sound, Celia decided to lift the needle on the prehistoric record player—just as Mal stepped behind the slumber Hades. The needle scratched with an _eeeeee!_

"What are you doing here?" Hades cooed, almost like he was awake the whole time.

His voice sent chills down Mal's spine. Caught, she froze in place and desperately searched her brain for a clever excuse. Then Mal noticed Hades wasn't speaking to her.

"I noticed you were low on canned corn," Celia fibbed. It was a plausible pretext for Hades's errand girl. Unruffled, Celia walked right up to Hades, reached into her coat, and confidently tossed an expired can of corn at the once-powerful villain. Mal had to hand it to Celia; that girl was one fearless, smooth criminal.

With Hades's attention directed at Celia, Mal seized her opportunity to take the ember. Drawing on all her old thieving skills, Mal squatted down, stretched out her arm, and, without making a peep, nabbed Hades's ember from its battered and tarnished silver stand.

Unfortunately, her action didn't go unnoticed. As if he had eyes in the back of his spiked blue hair, Hades raised his hand and grabbed Mal's wrist behind him. He snatched the ember right out of her hand.

Mal, caught in Hades's vise grip, had no choice. The moment she'd been dreading more than any other had finally arrived. Her stomach dropped. There was nothing left to do but face it head-on.

"Hi, Dad." The words felt foreign on Mal's tongue. She hasn't said those words in almost fourteen years. While it took a lot to shock Celia, her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

The name sounded strange to Hades's ears as well, because it had been so long since he's last been called that. He removed his sunglasses and waved at his daughter, who noticed his nails were painted blue. "Hello, Princess," he greeted with deep affection.

Mal rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I'm not a princess."

"You are my daughter," Hades insisted, like he has said it a thousand times before. "I am the king of the Underworld; that makes you a princess."

Hades sized up his daughter before he bored into Mal's soul with his eyes. "Quite a show you put on the other day."

"Back atcha." Mal might have been trembling inside, but she refused to show her father an ounce of fear. He didn't deserve that kind of satisfaction. She hadn't seen Hades in years, and this was twice in one week. Lucky her.

"I was just coming to see you," Hades claimed, flashing his magnetic smile. He could be so charismatic when he wanted to be.

"Really? Wonder why. Is it because I'm going to be queen?" Mal wondered sarcastically, her tone brimmed with contempt.

"Because I'm going to get revenge on Beast," Hades retorted before shaking his head with amusement. "Don't be so bitter."

"You abandoned me when I was a child," she reminded as she crossed her arms over her chest. She had every right to be bitter.

"I left your mother," Hades corrected vehemently. "She's not the easiest person to get along with."

"Ya think?" Mal spat.

"Ya see?" Hades smiled despite the tense situation. "We have something in common. We both hate your mother."

"No." Mal stepped forward challengingly. "I _don't_ hate my mother. She may be an evil lunatic, but at least she stuck around."

Mal surprised herself by defending her mom. She didn't usually land on Team Maleficent, but this was different. This wasn't about Maleficent; it was about Hades and the indisputable fact that he had never been there for her.

Though . . . Mal wouldn't realize then how wrong she truly was.

Hades's veins bulged from his neck and he erupted in aggression. "You think you've had it rough? I had an entire _world_ and now I have nothing." He threw the can of corn to the ground to release some of his frustration. "You have no idea what that feels like!"

Mal held her own in the fight. "Really? Because for sixteen years I had nothing! And now I have a whole world. Unless I get that ember, it's game over." She stuck out her hand expectantly.

Hades shook his head stubbornly. "You still don't get it, do you?" He stood straighter, almost like he was once again bearing the weight of an old, difficult decision that nearly broke him. "I gave you _everything _by giving you nothing. Me staying away made you _stronger_. I did what I had to do!"

Mal scoffed. "You only did what was best for you."

The god remained quiet for a moment before cautiously wondering, "What about the Heartless you called Halo?"

Mal froze. She dropped her sassy stance as her expression turned to one of shock. "How do you know about her?"

"Because _I _sent her to watch over you." Hades revealed. "I ordered her to protect you. When you nearly drowned at Doom Cove. When you fled from the pirates. She was there each time because of _me_, _not _because you tamed her. However, I was surprised when her color scheme changed because of you."

Mal, although surprised by the revelation, decided to get back to the real situation at hand. "Do you want to make up for being a lousy father?" She held out her hand again. "Give me the ember."

"The ember only works for me," Hades argued.

"No. It'll work. We're blood." Mal was suddenly grateful for her Auradon Prep class called Study of Magical Objects.

Hades held up the ember, rolled it between his fingers, and opted to taunt his daughter for a bit. "You're only _half_ Hades. The ember won't do everything for you that it does for me."

Mal looked her father straight in the eyes. "I'll take my chances," she countered, calling his bluff.

Hades stared at Mal for a good while, until he finally relented. He whirled the ember around his fingers before warning her, "If it gets wet, it's game over." He handed the ember to his daughter, but didn't let go. "Would you like a second option? Something stronger than both the scepter and the ember and more powerful than Fairy Godmother's wand?"

Mal tried not to show her annoyance. She was taught about her father's many failed attempts to rule Olympus, a majority involving the Keyblade wielders. He always had another plan in case the first one didn't work. None of them worked.

However . . . when Mal snatched the ember, she couldn't help being slightly intrigued. "What do you mean by 'second option'?"

Instead of giving a verbal answer, Hades strolled farther down his lair, disappearing behind another wall for a few seconds. When he reemerged, Mal dramatically gasped at what he held.

In his hand—though he was using an old rag to hold the object—was the famous Keyblade, Way to Dawn; the very weapon that had went missing just the day prior.

"How did you find it?" Mal interrogated forcefully as she unconsciously stepped forward. "_How_ did it get to the Isle?"

"Who knows?" Hades shrugged carelessly, though he actually did know the answer. "I had needed it a few years ago, but now it's useless to me." He observed the broken weapon. "If I remember correctly, you wished that you could wield this Keyblade when I told you its story."

Mal blinked in surprise. No . . . that couldn't be right. Maleficent had been the one to tell her about the Way to Dawn, not her father.

Hades smiled as his eyes glinted mischievously. "Catch."

He tossed the weapon in the air. Mal half expected the Keyblade to disappear, but she still made a grab for it on instinct. When she caught it, the weapon magically repaired itself before vanishing in her grip.

"It will appear when you need it most, Princess," Hades reassured before his expression turned serious. "_Don't_ say I don't keep my promises."

In a moment of daze, Mal wordlessly walked out of the lair with Celia following her.

Hades stared at the tunnel entrance for a moment and allowed pride to show on his face. "That's my girl," he mumbled to himself.

* * *

Celia and Mal walked through the dark tunnel. "I guess that's the reason why he's always asking about you," Celia assumed.

Mal stopped in her tracks and raised her eyebrows, surprised to learn Hades has ever shown an interest in her. "Evie is the only one who knows that he's my dad," she told Celia. "And as far as I'm concerned, he doesn't even exist." Yet here she was, clutching his ember tightly in her hand.

Mal followed Celia through the mine, wondering why she couldn't remember why her father had really left her all those years ago—

Not knowing until tomorrow that it was to protect her.

And her light.


	34. Descendants 3: Chapter 6

**I wanted this event by itself, which explains why the chapter is short.**

**A dark secret comes out this chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Ben held his cell phone in his right hand, ran his left hand through his hair, and paced his palace bedroom. He was in full king mode—though it bordered full 'Beast' mode—all authority and confidence, calling the shots and getting things done _without_ losing control of his darkness.

"No, no. I want the Auradon guard handing out gas masks. . . Not everyone is asleep!" He threw his phone aside before adverting his attention to the royal attendant, who stood watch at the entrance-way. "Find out if anyone's seen Audrey."

The young man nodded in acknowledgement and headed out the door.

Suffocating from frustration, the king unsnapped the collar of his blue-and-yellow leather jacket fell into his chair with an agitated sigh. Once the door closed, Ben leaned back in his chair and allowed some of his darkness to emerge. He learned a long time ago that if he kept his darkness bottled up inside, it will eventually explode without warning. That happened to him when he was only five years old, destroying all of his possessions in his bedroom.

As he was about to force the darkness inside himself, Ben sensed someone him and they were about to attack. Ben spun around, using his darkness as a shield to protect him from the furniture that was thrown at him. The chair broke on contact, but the perpetrator smiled gleefully at the action.

Audrey had crept up behind him without him realizing. Her wicked transformation was utterly shocking. She looked stunningly evil, especially with the veil of darkness that surrounded her.

"I was right," she mused schemingly. "You _do_ have darkness inside you . . . because of Mal."

"No." Ben denied without thinking about it. "I was born with my darkness. I have no light inside me. Mal has nothing to do with it."

Audrey tilted her head curiously. "Yet you never told me? Your significant other for _so_ many years?"

"I didn't tell anyone for years so it could stay secret," Ben insisted carefully. "My parents found out on their own. I told Mal so she wouldn't fear losing control of her darkness."

Not necessarily true, but a little lie couldn't hurt in this situation.

"I'll keep it a secret," Audrey promised too cheerily. "In fact, I'll wake everyone up right now—under one itty-bitty condition, Benny-Boo." Her eyes glinted with a dark scheme as her fingers crawled up Ben's arm until she held his face in her hand. "Make me your queen and we'll rule side by side."

From Audrey's perspective, she belonged on that throne; it was her rightful place in history. She, not Mal, was born and bred for the royal life.

Ben stared at Audrey like she was off-kilter. He slowly removed her hand from his cheek. "How did you get so much darkness in you?" he wondered as calmly as he could. "What made you like this?"

"You!" Audrey shouted, though she still had her evil smile in place. "Most people get dumped because they're not good enough. I wasn't _bad_ enough. How do you like me now, Benny-Boo?"

She twirled around and modeled her ravishing new style for her ex. Gone were Audrey's signature pink frills; deep mauve, black lace, and black feathers had replaced them. She looked even more the part of the alluring enchantress than she had at the museum, with the queen's crown glinting on her head.

Ben shrugged earnestly. He didn't care for her metamorphosis. "I like the old Audrey better," he insisted. "She wouldn't want to hurt Auradon." He held out his open hand, hoping Audrey would come to her senses. "Just give me the scepter. I'll forgive you and show you how to control the darkness."

That infuriated Audrey. "_You_ will forgive _me_? _You_ will show me how to control the darkness _you_ created?" She snarled at him. "I don't think so! Sleeping is too good for you!"

Her eyes gleamed with malicious intent. She thrust her scepter toward Ben and released a crackling hex. She grinned at the results with glee. _That_ spell had worked better than she expected.

Next she turned her sights on Auradon City. Audrey stood on Ben's balcony, peered out over the entire kingdom with mad delight, and released a condemning curse on all the people below. "Sleeping is too good for Auradon!" A menacing flash blanketed the kingdom.

At that very moment, Fairy Godmother was running up the steps of the museum to obtain her wand. As the evil magic washed over her, the Auradon Prep headmistress instantly turned to stone. The same frozen fate befell hundreds of others all around the kingdom. Audrey was quite pleased with her sorcery.

Who knew being bad felt so good?


	35. Descendants 3: Chapter 7

**Somehow, I've been doing two chapters a day. I am hoping I can keep that going for the next day or so, but I know it won't happen one day when I finally show you my idea.**

**A dark secret is made public.**

**The second option is used for a brief second.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Mal and Celia returned to the Isle's destitute Bridge Plaza to meet up with Jay, Carlos, and Evie.

"Alright, let's get in and get out." Mal ordered. They needed to open the barrier and sneak through without any trouble.

Jay clicked the remote, the barrier flickered open, and they darted through with stealthy moves.

Mal squeezed Hades's ember tightly in her palm as she crossed onto the bridge to Auradon, desperate for the ember to work for her as it had for Hades. And it did. The ember ignited into dancing blue flames the moment it hit the magical land. Then, with a flash, the glowing power shot straight through Mal.

Its effect on her was instantaneous. Her signature purple hair became streaked with blue tones, and her purple vest turned midnight blue. Even her wedge high-tops and fingerless gloves boasted painted blue flames. Mal looked down, stared at her altered clothes in shock, then twirled a strand of her bluish hair with intense fascination.

She guessed there was more of her father in her than she'd realized.

Evie, Carlos, Jay, and Celia circled Mal, checking out her new look from every angle.

"Man, that thing packs a punch," Carlos joked, nodding toward the glowing ember.

Before any of them could question why Hades's ember had affected Mal as it had, Jay gasped, turning the group's attention to the Isle side of the bridge. "Look," he shouted.

Mal was grateful for the distraction, until she saw what Jay had spotted.

Harry Hook and his sidekick, Gil, somersaulted through the closing Isle barrier and landed safely on the bridge. It was just as Beast had predicted: every time they opened the barrier, another villain—or, in this case, villains—escaped.

"We made it!" Gil exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement. For the first time in his life, he had stepped foot off the Isle.

"Bro!" Harry and Gil bro-hugged it out. They'd done it! They'd bust out of the Isle. Harry turned toward Mal and her friends. "Hey, guys," Harry chuckled. "We just came for a wee visit."

Carlos and Jay tried to block the pirates' path. As the two groups collided mid-bridge, Celia hung back coolly and enjoyed watching the fracas like a spectator. According to her father, there was no sense in picking sides until a clear winner was declared.

Mal, on the other hand, tried to intervene. She hoped to keep the pirates from going any farther. Harry shoved Carlos in an effort to get by. His strong push sent Carlos tumbling into Mal. Mal staggered off-balance, causing the ember to jostle free from her grip. She desperately tried to grab the escaping ember, but Harry's hook scooped around her fumbling hand before she could nab it. The bright blue ember sailed high into the air, out of Mal's reach.

"No!" Mal screamed in despair.

She watched helplessly as it plummeted toward the deep dark water below. Any chance of saving Auradon from Audrey would be extinguished the moment the ember got wet. Mal waited with agony for the telltale splash.

But the dreaded splash never came. Instead, a long, slimy turquoise tentacle emerged from the sea. It stretched to its impressive full length and skillfully snatched the ember out of the air. With a whoosh, Uma, in her part-octopus form, rose grandly from the rough waters and gripped the powerful ember.

Mal had to hand it to the sea witch; she knew how to make a splashy entrance.

Uma looked magnificent, wilder, and more in her element than she had at Cotillion. She wore a turquoise sweetheart-necked bodice that perfectly framed her mother's golden shell necklace. Her tentacles swirled through the water with grace and ease. She tossed back her long turquoise hair, which was braided at the crown of her head and fell loose below her waist.

"Drop something?" she teased with a wry smile. The ember sizzled, dulled, and grew weaker in her dripping grasp.

Mal was unsure if she should feel relieved of panicked to see Hades's ember in Uma's hand—er, tentacle. For all the ways she had imagined Uma's return to Auradon, she'd never dreamed this scenario—her arch-nemesis cradling the single object that could save the kingdom. This definitely called for panic.

"It can't get wet!" Mal warned. "Give it back before it goes out."

Uma laughed mischievously.

Mal wasn't the only one surprised to see Uma. "Uma!" Harry and Gil shouted in unison. The scallywags were excited to see their long-lost captain.

"That's my name," Uma cooed, still balancing the dying ember.

She glowed with confidence and gave her friends a coy wave. Then she wrapped her tentacle tightly around the ember and sank into the dark water.

"No!" Mal shrieked. All was truly lost, unless she could learn to wield the Way to Dawn in minutes.

Uma's marvelous gold shell necklace brightened beneath the waving sea. Then a whirling burst of water gushed upward out of the ocean's roiling surface, exploded, and rained back down on everyone who stood on the bridge. Mal and her friends were drenched. They scrambled to the side railing, expecting to see a tentacled Uma rise dramatically from the sea once more. But there was no sign of her.

"Hi, boys," greeted a voice behind them.

Everyone spun around to see Uma on the Auradon side of the bridge, looking fabulous in her teenage form. She wore fish scale leggings and a pair of aqua cowboy boots with gold crustacean accents. Her clothes were beaded with shells and sea glass. In her hand was the still-lit ember.

Harry Hook sprang to the other side of the bridge. He circled his friend, a wicked smile on his face. "Welcome back."

"Uma," Gil began, sounding a little hurt, "you swam off and forgot all about us."

"Planning her revenge, no doubt," Mal accused as she stared at Uma.

"It's not all about you," Uma barked. She felt bad about leaving her minions leaderless, but she had been gone for a good reason. "I was looking for a hole in the barrier, to let everyone out. And you know what I found, boys?"

Uma threw her arms wide and gestured toward Auradon and the open sea. "It's better out here than we thought. There's this thing that looks like a furry rock, called a coconut. And fish so big you could dance on their backs." She pointed at Mal and her friends accusingly, snarling, "And they've been keeping it all for themselves."

Mal didn't have time to discuss all the ways poor little Shrimpy felt she had been shorted in her life. Audrey was gaining ground in Auradon while Mal stood there listening to the adventures of an octopus. "I need that ember to break a spell," she insisted.

"Cast by Audrey, Sleeping Beauty's daughter," Carlos added, trying to help, but making it worse.

Uma lapped up the delicious news. "The good guy's the bad guy. I might not give it back. See what happens."

The pirate captain soaked in the moment of power. She had something Mal desired. Now, she needed to decide how best use that advantage.

"It's not the time for games," Mal pleaded with Uma. "People lives are in danger!"

Uma looked at Auradon, the city that was shunning her, and back at Mal, the girl who had caused the shunning. Uma had made up her mind. "Guarantee me that every singly kid who want to get off the island can," she bargained.

"I can't do that," Mal countered.

Uma dangled the still-lit ember over the bridge's railing, determined to get what she wanted. Enough of this four-at-a-time application process; if Mal wanted the ember, every last villain kid was getting released from their Isle sentence. "How about now?" she threatened.

Mal looked back and forth among the dangling ember, the girl she called Shrimpy, and Auradon City. She made a choice.

"Deal," Mal agreed, knowing she couldn't possibly keep that promise. "Deal," she repeated.

Uma eyed Mal skeptically. She had no reason to believe her rival was telling the truth.

Evie jumped in. "Uma, her word is good."

Mal flinched, pained by the knowledge that she had lied to Evie as well.

Uma looked hard at Evie's sincere expression and honest eyes. She opened her gold shell necklace and placed the ember within it, sealing it away safely. "I'll still keep this for the time being. 'Cuz if you think I trust you to save the world on your own, think again."

Uma smiled and looked toward Harry and Gil. "This is a job for pirates!" she exclaimed.

Harry and Gil rushed Uma, and together the wretched threesome hooted and roared in triumphant reunion.

Mal grimaced, appalled at the prospect of joining forces with a gang of double-crossing pirates. Jay leaned and said what they both were thinking. "We can always go back to hating each other when it's over."

"Fine," she grumbled, standing with arms crossed.

Agreement reached, Jay went to Harry and Gil with a menacing stride. They had business to settle. "Where are our bikes?"

"We crashed them." Gil smiled oafishly at the memory of it.

Harry pantomimed the bikes vrooming along, then meeting a fiery end. How he loved taunting Jafar's son.

Evie interrupted brightly. "Here's a thought. We could try being friends. Put our history behind us and celebrate our differences. Yeah?" She pulled out her red wristlet, which contained several blue spheres, and jingled it. "Who wants gum?" she offered optimistically.

Everyone stared at Evie in great confusion. Had she seriously tried to mend fences with gum?

"Let's go," Uma ordered Harry and Gil.

"Uh, no," Mal stopped her. "I'm in charge." She paused, then gave her own order to the group. "Let's go."

With that, the strangely united band of villains started the long walk across the magical bridge toward Auradon.

* * *

The motley crew of villain kids marched over the bridge, hiked along the craggy coast, and wound their way up the road that let to Auradon Prep. The scene that greeted them was shocking. The school's green lawn was littered with sleeping students.

"They're asleep," Evie announced as she absorbed the alarming sight.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos tried their cell phones, hoping to reach someone who could provide an explanation, but not one of them worked.

"I can't get Ben." Mal tried not to show her worry. She could vividly sense his darkness now—something she couldn't do before—and it was all over the place, specifically at his castle.

"Or Dizzy or Doug," Evie added with concern.

"Or Jane. Signal's out," confirmed Carlos.

"Uh, guys?" Jay called with a look of shock on his face as he stared at his phone. "Have you seen this?"

The group huddled around him to stare at the ex-thief's mobile device. A video—which appeared to have gone viral—showed Ben at his desk, leaning back in his chair while a purple-black glow surrounded him. In a matter of moments, video Ben abruptly stood as he raised his arm up, creating more of the glow to shield him from something being thrown at him. With that, the video ended.

While the others gaped at what they saw, Mal paled three shades as she shook her head in disbelief. "His secret's out," she muttered. "After so many years, the public finds out in such a terrible way."

The group adverted their shocked attention to Mal. "You knew about Ben's darkness?" Evie interrogated rhetorically. "How?"

"He told me on our first date at the Enchanted Lake," Mal revealed reluctantly. "Ben told me so I would agree to let him teach me how to control mine. It was his darkness that knocked Chad back a couple years ago, not mine."

Jay's jaw drop. "You mean during Family Day? _That_ was _him_?"

After nodding reluctantly, Mal sighed in worry. "We need to find him," she insisted. "Ben may have some control, but who knows what Audrey has done to him."

Celia wandered ahead of the group, turning her head from side to side every few feet. There was just so much to look at. Her jaw fell open when she spotted the most enormous building she had ever seen. "Is that Auradon Prep?"

"Yeah, and when everybody wakes up, you're going to love it," Carlos promised with a smile.

"Yes!" Celia exclaimed. With everything that had happened, she'd almost forgotten about getting to go to school. In Auradon. In that beautiful building.

Nearby, Carlos did a double take and broke out in a huge smile. "Dude?" Carlos cried.

Dude sat beneath a picnic table, eating a hot dog from a conked-out boy's hand. The mutt was living his best life. Dude looked up, caught in the act, and belched.

"Dude, really?" asked Carlos, trying to stifle a laugh.

"He wasn't eating it," the dog barked drily.

Carlos realized the dog might have some answers. "Dude, do you know what happened here?"

"Yeah, Audrey put everybody to sleep. Oh, and then some of them—"

"Guys!" cried Evie. She pointed at a statuesque girl who stood a few feet away from Dude. "Hannah's turned to stone." Hannah was frozen in granite, still wearing her marching band uniform.

"Alright, everyone, stay on your toes," Jay warned, looking out for the group. The sleeping kids, the stone student—it was all Audrey's doing. She had to be stopped.

"Look, since we're here, let's check the school," Uma suggested. Harry, Celia, and Gil followed her toward the entrance.

"No," Mal denied, flanked by Evie, Carlos, and Jay. She spoke with authority. "We need to go to the castle. The video showed Ben in his room using his darkness to protect him. He wouldn't do that unless absolutely necessary. Audrey must have gone after him. That's where we'll go."

"Says who?" Uma challenged, stepping up to Mal.

"Says me." Mal leaned toward the pirate captain, ready for a fight.

"Says you and that's supposed to mean something to me?" Uma retorted. She was not about to take orders from Mal.

"Guys," Evie implored. They had more important matters to focus on, like stopping Audrey.

Uma acquiesced . . . this time.

"To the castle," Mal repeated, satisfied with her small victory.

* * *

Some time later, Mal ran down the grand palace hall, followed closely by the other seven travelers. "Ben could be asleep anywhere," she complained in worry.

"Or turned to stone," Celia managed to squeak out before Evie clamped her hand over Celia's mouth.

"Ben!" Mal called. Her unanswered shouts echoed through the chamber.

Dude sniffed around. "I've got his scent. Very pungent cologne. Easy to track. Follow me."

"Hold up." Uma stared thoughtfully at a series of deep claw marks scratched into the wall. She ran her finger over them. "What's this?" A framed ancient map, from when Auradon was just 'Beast's Castle', that hanged on the wall had been cut clean in half.

"Any chance that was already there?" Carlos wondered. He looked around the room nervously. The royal-blue curtains were tattered and torn, and the mysterious scratches continued along the corridor for many feet.

"Follow me," Dude instructed, then led the group out of the room and toward the scent he'd detected.

Moments later, the group trailed Dude into the palace's hall of armor. Sunlight shone through the domed stained glass ceiling, illuminating artwork of the great battle scenes and gallant knights of past reigns. The group approached the grand foyer with great reverence.

As the villain squad crept through the majestic hall, Harry inspected all the tempting treasures. His eyes lingered in the more portable items, like a sparkling halberd and antique shield, and he wondered if anyone would notice is a few trinkets mysteriously went missing.

As if reading his mind, Jay moved up quietly behind Harry. "I can feel you lurking," Harry told Jay without needing to turn around.

"Good," Jay snarled. He pushed Harry along. Not trusting the seasoned villain, Jay vowed to keep a close eye on him.

Across the room, Uma and Mal were locked in their own dispute. "Bet you lost a little sleep thinking about me on the loose," Uma goaded.

"Nah. Dragons don't really lose sleep," Mal countered. "I wonder what fried octopus tastes like," she teased, just to annoy Uma.

Evie stepped between the two girls and threw her arms around their shoulders in a gesture of solidarity. "Okay, why don't we not do this?"

"We're celebrating our differences," Uma commented sarcastically.

_Clash! Clash!_ A suit of armor that had stood stiff for years on a high wood pedestal clicked its heels and turned toward the group.

"I believe we're being challenged," Harry informed, his hook dancing in the air. Harry was always itching for a good fight.

Mal and Uma, too busy one-upping each other, failed to heed Harry's warning. "Let's all split up and look for Audrey," Uma told Mal.

Mal balked at Uma's suggestion. "That makes absolutely no sense. Unless you give me the ember, she'll spell you." Mal was unsure how much longer she could handle listening to this insipid pirate.

Harry cleared his throat and interrupted the girls' competitive confab again. "We have a situation here," he alerted them. That would prove to be an understatement.

The bewitched knight moved and spoke ominously in Audrey's voice. The effect was disturbing. "You like a prince, Mal. How about a knight in shining armor? Or knights?" The lead knight swung his lethal sword with a swift, authoritative gesture, and the rest of the suits of armor in the long hall magically clinked to life and drew their sharpened swords on the VKs.

Uma and Mal shared a furtive look. Spooked and outnumbered, Mal, Uma, and their friends backed up, spun around, and rushed toward the hall exit. But before they could reach it, two menacing knights stepped forward and blocked the doors. Exiting would not be an option.

Gil grabbed two gleaming swords and handed one to Uma. Jay followed Gil's lead and snatched several swords, then tossed a blade to Mal with perfect precision. Harry snatched the halberd he'd been eyeing earlier. He had known he'd end up with the coveted treasure somehow.

Uma jumped up onto a tall platform in the center of the hall. "Fall back. Let me lead," Uma shouted to the others.

Mal bristled. She would not be outranked by a puny, gutless pirate. Mal leaped onto the raised platform and with a confident heft, lifted her sword above her head. The sword glowed and shimmered. Mal hoped that the sword would transform into the Way to Dawn, but the glow stopped after a few seconds. "Swords in the air if you're with me," Mal declared, mainly to distract the group from what just happened.

Uma did not comply. She flashed a fake grin, stepped in front of Mal, and whipped around her turquoise hair. She was not about to fall in line.

Evie looked askance at both girls, then jumped between them, and planted her hands on her hips. "Now isn't the time to argue," she chided. "We are outnumbered, so the only way to defeat these knights is by working together until the battle is done. Until the knight falls, we're aligned, but it doesn't mean we're on the same side."

The enchanted knights marched with military precision and attacked the teens in one swift swoosh. Swords clanged, blades scraped, metal clashed against metal.

The unstoppable armor army was on its way to easily trouncing the band of VKs. Their swords moved so quickly they were a blur. Mal looked around the hall at her friends, who stumbled with exhaustion. They fought valiantly, but were overwhelmed and over-matched. Mal's eyes flashed green with focus.

She pushed through the chaos, made her way back up to the platform, and stared at the doomed battle scene below. Her friends assumed she would cast a spell on the suit of armor, but that wouldn't be the case this time.

Gripping the sword tightly with both her hands, Mal forced some of her light out to take control of the fight. With her light now in play, the sword finally transformed into the Way to Dawn, the Keyblade that Mal cherished so much.

With the remaining knights lined up in a triangle formation, Mal raised the Keyblade chest-level to the lead knight. A beam of light emitted from the Keyblade, hitting the first suit of armor where its heart would have been. As that knight dropped to the floor, the beam when on to the next, and continued until every metal soldier collapsed into a large heap.

Her companions stared at her in complete surprise as the Way to Dawn vanished once again, leaving Mal holding a plain old sword.

"How did you do that?" Jay interrogated. "How did you wield the Keyblade? I thought it was missing _and_ broken."

"I found it on the Isle," Mal fibbed before Celia could reveal the truth. "As soon as I grabbed it, it fixed itself. It's like it was waiting specifically for me to wield it."

None of them questioned it, but all of them knew it was suspicious. Celia kept quiet just to see what Mal would do in the future.

Mal sighed. "Audrey clearly knows we're here. And we need to get out of here ASAP."

"Alright, where does this cheerleader bunk down?" Uma asked. "If she's not there, we might find some sort of clue."

"Actually, she's still in the dorm," Evie answered knowingly.

"Because of summer school," Mal explained.

"Summer school." Harry scrunched up his face in utter disgust. "No wonder she wants revenge."

Mal pointed to Jay, Carlos, Dude, Harry, and Gil. "I need you guys to go find Ben. I sense his darkness in the woods so go look there. If you find him and his darkness is too much for you to handle, call me. I can help him control it."

Carlos raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Really?"

"I helped him control it during Cotillion," Mal insisted with a roll of her eyes. "We will meet back at Evie's place in two hours."

"Sounds like we're going with my plan," Uma boasted. "Just sayin'."

"It was kind of the obvious plan," Mal retorted.

Gil piped up. "Uma said it first."

"Right, so my plan," Uma gratified. She high-fived Harry and Gil, proud of her small victory over Mal.

"Whatever!" Mal exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air as she headed out of the hall.


	36. Descendants 3: Chapter 8

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Please be sure to leave a review on what you think.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

In Audrey's dorm room, Uma stretched out on the lavish bed and flipped through Audrey's journal. She leafed through the pages, reading the private thoughts Audrey had recorded in her loopy cursive handwriting.

Ever since Mal arrived at Auradon Prep, Audrey had felt invisible at school. And at home, her family acted like she'd let them down. Uma scanned another page. Audrey was humiliated and heartbroken when Ben publicly declared his love for Mal. Uma had assumed Audrey was some privileged rich girl, but maybe it wasn't that simple.

Uma was absorbed in Audrey's journal when Mal and Evie ran into the room out of breath.

"She's nowhere on campus," Evie panted.

They'd checked the cafeteria, searched the tourney field, and even rummaged around in the library. Audrey had left a long trail of pink fog and sleeping students in her wake, but the sorceress herself had vanished.

"Found her diary," Uma informed before she chuckled. "And dang, did you ruin Audrey's life."

Mal started to feel kind of bad, even though Ben called off their relationship before he started dating Mal. "Okay, so did you find anything in there we don't already know, or . . ."

"She hangs out at Fairy Cottage. You know, where Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather hid her mom from your mom." The pirate captain rubbed her hands together and hooted with evil glee.

"Yes, ha ha ha, the irony is not lost on me." Mal rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Uma lifted her head from a poofy down pillow and ran her fingertips along the dreamy silk comforter. "How could anyone with this bed ever be unhappy?" she wondered aloud.

Celia had been busy pilfering through Audrey's vanity, and she swiveled around, proud to model her new image. "Okay, how do I look?" She struck a pose. The young fortune-teller wore several gold bangles, three strands of pearls, and Audrey's signature bluebird tiara. With Celia, more was more.

Evie looked her up and down. "Okay the bling stays here."

Celia pouted. "But she's bad."

"And we're not," Evie chided.

Celia removed the tiara with a disappointed sigh.

Mentoring all the young VKs who'd be moving from the Isle wasn't going to be easy, but there was nothing in the world Evie would rather do.

* * *

Two hours later, Mal, Evie, and Uma hurried toward Evie's starter castle, ready to reunite with the boys as planned. Celia raced ahead.

"I hope they found Ben," Mal commented with a soft sigh. "His darkness is growing stronger with each passing second. I _never_ felt it being this strong before."

As they walked up the path, Uma eyed Evie's picturesque castle. She was truly impressed. Evie hadn't inherited the home like the other spoiled little Auradon princesses Uma loathed. Evie's success was self-made, and Uma respected that.

"Nice dig," Uma complimented, and she meant it.

Evie shrugged modestly. "I got a really good deal."

Celia reached the front door first, threw it open, and bounded into Evie's living room. Her face fell when she spotted Squeaky and Squirmy tangled up in each other's arms, deep asleep on a comfy gray couch. Their glasses sat askew on their sweet slumbering faces.

Mal, Evie, and Uma took in the tragic scene. Evie's heart nearly broke when she saw innocent little Dizzy curled up on the other end of the couch. She tossed and turned from a bad dream.

Celia reached over and did her best to soothe her buddy. "Don't worry, Dizzy. We can fix this." She covered Dizzy with a soft red afghan. "And once we do, they're going to let all the kids come from the Isle. So happy dreams, okay?"

Mal looked away, her face covered by a veil of guilt.

The tender moment was cut short by a booming snore that sounded from the next room. The noise startled the wits out of all four girls. Uma followed the thundering sound through the doorway and stepped into Evie's glass work-space, where she discovered Doug sprawled out on an imported area rug. "Who's the dude?" Uma asked.

"Doug." Evie ran to Doug and shook him. "Wake up, wake up."

"He's spelled." Uma turned to Mal, confused. "Is she not a fast learner.

Mal leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed. "She's emotionally involved, okay?"

"In that case, she should be able to wake him. True Love's Kiss? Works every time?" Uma smiled wryly. Her own plot to take over Auradon had been spoiled the past spring by one such kiss between Mal and Ben. Uma looked at Evie expectantly and braced herself for the mushy moment.

Evie diverted her eyes. "We haven't actually used the L-word yet," she confessed bashfully.

Uma raised her eyebrows. This was going to be good.

Evie looked at Doug adoringly. His head rested on a shagged pillow; his right arm was folded behind his head. She placed her hand affectionately on Doug's forehead, as if ready to wake him with a kiss. Then she furrowed her bow in a self-conscious expression and straightened back up quickly.

"Can we be alone?"

Uma and Mal exchanged knowing looks, walked out, and shut the door behind them. Then they immediately popped their heads back around the carved-wood doorway to watch. As if they were about to miss the big kiss!

Evie cared about Doug more than anything. She though they both felt the same, but she didn't know for sure. They'd never actually talked about it. _Does he love me, does he not? Do I love him? Is it strong enough?_ she thought.

What if she kissed him, a real True Love's Kiss, and he didn't wake up? She couldn't bear the thought. But this was Doug and her, and they were perfect together. She stepped outside to think.

With a sudden burst of realization, Evie flew back inside to Doug and kissed him on the lips. But Doug didn't wake from the spell—or so it seemed. Behind his glasses, Doug opened one green eye, then shut it sneakily, in hoped of getting another kiss.

Evie caught him in the act and playfully swatted his knee. She tried to stay mad, but couldn't. The kiss settled it. What Doug and Evie shared was definitely true love.

Mal smiled at her two friends, super happy for them. Then she looked at the clock with concern. Jay and the guys should have been there by then. She frowned and hoped they hadn't run into trouble due to Ben's darkness.

* * *

Jay, Carlos, Gil, Harry, and Dude walked through the woods in search of Ben.

"Ben!" Carlos shouted, his call echoing through the tall trees.

Dude heard a rustling sound coming from a patch of trees and paused. "Woo, boy, you've got to be smelling that, right?" He stuck his little wet nose in the air.

Without warning, a terrible beast with wild eyes, matted fur, and a booming roar burst out from behind the trees.

Each of the four boys raised his fists in a defensive stance, ready to fight the brute. The beast lunged toward Harry, but Jay quickly pulled the pirate out of the way.

Harry studied the untamed creature that growled in front of him. Granted, he hadn't been in Auradon very long, but he knew a king when he saw one—and this was not it. The pirate looked pointedly at Dude. "You need some serious adjustments," he critiqued.

Carlos stepped forward tentatively to take a closer look at the feral creature. The beast had familiar eyes. "Ben?" Carlos called curiously.

The beast turned toward Carlos and nodded his enormous furry head.

"Huh, I thought I recognized those pants," Jay remarked, noting the beast's blue racing pants with yellow side stripes. The outfit looked familiar, with one notable difference: the pants now sported a large hole in the back, through with the beast's long bushy tail whipped around wildly.

The beat clawed his way up a dirt mound, clutched his large paw, and roared with monstrous pain.

"Aw, he's got a boo-boo," Gil noted. "That's why he's so cranky. You know, my dad said his dad did not handle pain well. At all."

Beast Ben let out a deafening and dangerous-sounding growl, drew back his massive arm, and took a savage swipe at Gil.

Jay looked at Carlos. "You're good with animals. Do something."

"What? Okay . . ." Carlos took a deep calming breath and approached the untamed brute with cautious steps. "Hey, Ben. It's me, Carlos."

The beast snarled, baring his teeth before he launched toward Carlos.

"Whoa, Ben, it's me, Carlos. You know me." Carlos reached for the beast's injured paw. The creature snatched it back with a deep intimidating howl. The four boys could finally see the king's darkness surrounding him, which became more prominent with every passing seconds. Jay, Harry, and Gil instinctively took a step back while Carlos took a hesitant step forward.

"You helped me once. Remember, with Dude?" Carlos reminded tenderly. "Let me help you. Let me see your hand."

The beast relaxed with his darkness fading only slightly. He reluctantly held out his paw where a large gnarly splinter was stuck in his palm, the flesh around it puckered angrily. Carlos looked from the nasty wound to the beast's pointy teeth.

"Let's count," he suggested. "One, two, three!" Carlos gently tugged the splinter, removing the offending wood shaving from the beast's palm.

With the piercing pain gone, the beast released a deafening roar of relief. His darkness exploded around the group, knocking down strong trees and sucking the life out of the flowers that grew around them. Jay had to dodge a tumbling tree to avoid being struck down.

Out of nowhere, a forceful stream of water blasted the terrifying beast in the chest. All heads turned to find Jane standing in the forest clearing, looking intrepid and no-nonsense. She aimed a water gun at the beast and squirted him once again with a rapid-fire stream of water from the Enchanted Lake.

Carlos and Jane locked eyes and wasted no time in sprinting toward each other. They hugged happily and talked over in excitement. "I'm so glad you're alright!" exclaimed Jane and Carlos in unison. They giggled. The reunion was nothing short of adorable.

Ben, now soaking wet, was King Ben again, no longer 'Beast' Ben.

"You good?" Jay asked as he helped Ben down from the mound. "Take a seat right there." He gestured toward a sizable tree trunk, which appeared after Ben's little explosion.

Ben shook his head to rid of some water. "That was funky."

"Was?" Jay rested a hand on the king's shoulder, smiling in amusement as he corrected, "Is."

Ben still looked part beast with his unruly hair, a full beard, and teeth pointy enough to be called fangs.

"You need another blast," Jane decided with a knowledgeable nod.

She raised the sprayer to waist level, cocked it with confidence, and blasted Ben with more water. This time it had no effect. He was still beast-ish. Jane tried again with one more useless squirt.

"_Enough!_" Ben bellowed in anger.

The group took a HUGE step away from the angered king. They did not want to experience one of his temper fits since it was fueled by his darkness.

Ben took a deep breath to somehow keep himself calm, though he knew he could be moments away from another outburst. "I need to get to Mal," he insisted. "She is the _only one_ that can help me control my darkness."

"Can't you control it with your light?" Jane suggested. "It seemed pretty powerful when you proposed to her."

"I don't have any light," Ben retorted bitterly, but that may have been his darkness talking. "I was born with no light in my heart, which I know is ironic since my mother used to be a Princess of Light, before she passed on her power to someone else. I only have darkness."

"Then whose light was that?" Carlos interrogated with raised eyebrows. "I know I've said this before, but it nearly blinded everyone."

"Just get me to Mal," Ben ordered irritably. "I'll explain once she calms me down."

"We are supposed to meet her, Evie, and Uma at Evie's castle," Jay informed with a soft sigh. "We'll explain what happened to us on the way."

As they set off through the woods, the group consciously kept a safe distance away from Ben, who was brooding worse with every step he took. If he didn't get to Mal soon . . . he could go 'beast' again.


	37. Descendants 3: Chapter 9

**I worked my ass off on this chapter to get it posted today. I know for certain that tomorrow, only one chapter will be posted. Sometime tomorrow, you will finally see my idea.**

**The final dark secret is revealed among friends, along with a few other smaller secrets.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Mal and Uma were sitting together at Evie's kitchen table, genuinely enjoying each other's company.

"I maybe kinda missed the boat a little bit when I called you Shrimpy and wouldn't let you in the gang," Mal admitted, helping herself to a fingerful of frosting.

"Yeah, we could have really torn up the Isle together," Uma commented with a small smile. "Just like the old days."

The girls suddenly jumped in alarm as a wood plank smacked into place across the kitchen window. _Slam! Slam! Slam!_ The girls gasped and watched in fright as solid wood planks slammed one after another across every window and blocked out all but a crack of sunlight.

Celia ran down the stairs and tried to throw open the front door, but several wood planks pounded mightily into place and sealed the exit. "We're trapped!" she screamed.

Celia backed away from the door and joined Mal and Uma in the center of the room. She was frightened. When Celia had first applied to Auradon Prep, she'd imagined a carefree life filled with too much sunshine, dorky rep rallied, and the opportunity to read the fortunes of wealthy Auradon Prep students—not lethal knights and magically sealed exits. This was not what she had bargained for.

Evie and Doug ran into the living room. "Are you guys okay?" Evie wondered. "What's going on?" Her room, too, had been boarded up. Doug took Evie's hand and held it tightly.

Mal's eyes gleamed with frustration and anger. She'd had enough of Audrey's nastiness. She raised both of her hands and incanted from deep in her heart: "_You've caused my friends pain and fear. We've had enough, now disappear!"_

The planks merely rattled in response. That was not the result Mal was hoping for.

"You guys, I'm sorry," Mal apologized. "My spells aren't working. Audrey's magic is getting stronger."

"Can't you summon your Keyblade?" Celia interrogated in worry. "You did at the castle!"

"I don't know how," Mal confessed. "I got lucky when it came to me."

Uma stared down at her gold shell necklace, which now glowed in a golden light. She had an idea. To Mal's surprise, Uma stepped forward to stand alongside her and grabbed her hand. Mal's eyes glowed green, Uma's necklace shone blue, and together the girls incanted: "_You've caused our friends pain and fear. We've had enough, now disappear!_"

The planks rattled more than they did before, but they didn't remove themselves.

"Didn't work," Evie announced.

With a heavy heart, Mal gripped Uma's hand tighter, releasing some of her light, but not enough for anyone to nice. "One more time," Mal decided as her eyes glowed even brighter.

For the final time, the girls repeated the chant. This time, the planks dislodged and vanished in thin air. The girls stared at each other, amazed by their accomplishment.

"You did it. Together. This is what I've been talking about," Evie cried as she threw her arms around both girls.

"I guess my shell likes you," Uma teased Mal. She looked down at her necklace, opened the shell, and took out Hades's ember. She offered it to Mal as a token of trust. "Why don't you hang on to this?"

Mal nodded gratefully and accepted the ember. Celia looked out the open door and cheered with delight as their friends paraded up the front pat to Evie's house, Ben in the lead. "Heeey," Celia cooed at Mal, "it's your bae."

Mal broke from the group, sprinted down the stone path to Ben, and flew into her fiancé's arms. "You okay?" Ben asked as he touched her cheek. "You're feeling a little warm again."

"I'm fine," Mal promised. As she hugged her beloved, she muttered in his ear, "I had to use some of my light earlier today and a few moments ago. I'll be fine in a few minutes."

Ben looked over Mal's shoulder and spotted Uma. His eyes lit up and he broke into a huge grin. "I always knew you'd be part of the solution," he informed as his grin turned to a smile.

The kids greeted each other joyfully, glad to be reunited. Jane and Carlos hugged Celia, Jay put his arms around Evie and Doug, and Harry embraced Uma. Meanwhile, Gil helped himself to a fresh orange off Evie's tree.

Mal flirtatiously ran her hand across Ben's scruffy beard and through his messy mane. "What is this?"

"You like it?" Ben asked with a certain glimmer in his eyes.

"Oh, yeah." Mal smiled gleefully. "I could get used to this. I love this." Her engagement ring caught the sun's rays as she playfully tugged her fiancé's whiskers.

Uma walked up behind her and gestured to Ben's sharp fangs. "What about those?"

Mal's wide-eyed reaction clearly read _Not so much_. "No," she denied vehemently. "Definitely not."

"I like 'em," Ben admitted with an impish grin.

Mal laughed gleefully. "Audrey's spell did this?" She wondered curiously. "After everything is back to normal, we will have to find out what one she used."

Ben sighed, his once cheerful attitude turning solemn. "It's not Audrey's spell that did this," he denied. "It's . . . _me_."

Mal's smile faded as she started to pale again. "You mean your darkness?" She clarified cautiously. "How?"

"Audrey used a spell to make me lose control," Ben explained grumpily. "I turned into a beast because of it."

"So, whose light was that during the proposal?" Carlos interrogated once again. "If Ben doesn't have any, then . . ."

Mal gazed at her beloved in surprise. "You didn't tell them anything?"

"I promised you I wouldn't," Ben reminded softly. "Not without your permission."

Mal adverted her attention to their group of friends, who watched her expectantly. There was no point keeping it secret any longer. It was time for the truth.

"The light was mine," Mal revealed reluctantly. "I never had any darkness in me. With my light, I tamed Halo, I changed the effects of Audrey's spell, and summoned Way to Dawn."

Jaws dropped. None of them could believe such a thing since Mal was the daughter of Maleficent; only two knowing that she was the daughter of Hades too. It was simply impossible.

Harry scoffed at the news. "Yeah, right. Like _you_ have light inside you. Now isn't the time for games."

Taking that as a challenge, Mal held out her hand with her palm facing up. In a split second, her hand was enveloped in a veil of light. Since he was exposed to it, Ben magically reverted back to his normal, beardless self.

"I was born with it," Mal explained as she forced her light to vanish. "But it didn't emerge until after an incident when I was five. Yen Sid was the only one that knew because he helped me hide it. The Professor told Ben, which is why I was picked to come to Auradon, along with the three people I hanged with the most."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Uma interrogated forcefully. "We were best friends for ten years!"

"Because I was scared!" Mal shouted back as her eyes started to water. "You have no idea what it was like for me growing up! My mother stole the hearts of princesses that had strong light inside of them to take over the worlds. I had to keep my light secret from her because I was afraid she would take my heart so she could take over Auradon. Every emotion I expressed exposed my light, so I couldn't feel anything! When I first came to Auradon, my light was incredibly weak. Now, I have the strongest light in the world. _Somehow_ my burden has turned into a blessing, because I wouldn't be in Auradon right now if I didn't have my light."

The group remained quiet for a few moments as they tried to process Mal's monologue.

Evie, being Mal's current best friend, was the first to speak. With a small smile, Evie teased, "Well, now we know why the Way to Dawn appeared to you." Her smile grew. "Now you just have to learn how to wield it like a true Keyblade Master."

With the tense situation now over with, Ben became in charge as he went back to the situation in hand. "We need to find the Fairy Godmother," he deduced. "Doug, you go with Jane while the rest of us will find Audrey."

Uma sized up Doug skeptically and shook her head in doubt. "They might need some muscle."

"Hey," Doug yelped defensively as he pushed up his glasses.

"I'll go," Gil volunteered eagerly. He flexed his fit arms for good measure.

Carlos took Jane's hand in his. "Yeah, actually, I'd feel better."

"Yeah, I'd feel better too," Evie commented.

"Same," Mal chimed in.

Doug puffed up his chest, trying to match Gil's brawn before he shrugged. "Yeah, actually, I would too," he laughed.

Gil threw his thick arm around Doug and gave him a brotherly squeeze. "Alright man. Let's do it. Let's go, Jane."

Mal put her head on Ben's shoulder as she watched the group take off down the path. Then she and the others turned to go back into Evie's house to plot their next steps. They had to stop Audrey . . . somehow.

Good thing they had a second option, just in case.

* * *

Deep in the harrowing woods, the group silently approached Fairy Cottage and fanned out like a precision security team. Mal removed the glowing ember from her pocket. She looked at it with determined eyes. This was the moment they'd been preparing for. It was time to stop Audrey once and for all.

Ben and Mal reached the flower-covered gate, then signaled the others. With a collective whoosh of energy, the pirates and VKs rushed the house at once. The teens swooped through the front door, all ready to pounce.

Jay ran up the stairs in hopes of finding the dark princess but returned alone. "She's not upstairs," he announced. The house was empty. Audrey was nowhere in sight.

Mal looked around the cottage, irked that Audrey had managed to evade them again. She hoped the others were having more luck with their quest. She and her friends exited Fairy Cottage as dusk fell.

"Okay, let's get this Audrey chick taken care if already." Uma looked at Mal. "What do you say, girl? Ready to wrap this up?" She and Mal fist-bumped.

Ben marveled at the newfound unity. He didn't know how it had happened, but he was delighted that it had. "Someday you're going to have to tell me how you guys all teamed up."

Evie smiled brightly. "Actually, Mal promised to let all the kids off the Isle once this is over."

Ben was taken back by the claim, specifically because of the conversation they had less than a day ago involving the barrier. He glanced at Mal searchingly.

Mal stared back at him, her eyes full of pain and guilt. She drew a deep breath, hesitated, then decided to come clean. She turned to face her friend and also face the truth for the second time that day.

"I have to tell you all something," Mal confessed. "I lied to you. The kids won't be coming off the Isle."

Jay shifted his weight and cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Mal steeled her resolve before answering. There was no easy way to explain, especially to her friends. The other VKs needed to know the truth. "The program will be shut down," she told them. "Once a council member changes their mind, the barrier will be closed for good."

The villain kids were stunned. Carlos looked bewildered. Evie stared at Mal, feeling raw and confused. Uma shot Mal the evil eye; she knew she never should have put her faith in that two-timing dragon.

Mal cleared her throat. "For Auradon's safety," she added, trying to explain. It didn't help.

"Hold up." Uma threw her hands into the air, disappointment coating her voice. "So, we're saving your precious people and your behinds for a lie. I knew it was a mistake to trust you. You're always out for yourself."

Harry twirled his hook menacingly in the air. "And you? King Ben, eh? You're probably just going to throw us back inside."

Ben detected a surprising sadness in Harry's eyes. The king stood straighter as he revealed, "_I_ am the one that is keeping the barrier from being closed off. In fact, I want to remove it. Unless the council comes to a consensuses or they go behind my back, _nothing_ will happen to the barrier."

That third bombshell of the day broke the group. The VKs couldn't believe that Mal practically betrayed her people.

Celia marched right up to Mal and confronted her. "You know what? I actually thought you were brave, but you're just a coward. Too scared to tell me that there was a chance I would never see my dad again," she raged. Tears of disillusionment filled her brown eyes.

Upset and let down, Celia grabbed the precious ember out of Mal's hand and threw it into a nearby birdbath. The mighty ember hissed and died out on the water, extinguished for good. Everyone gasped.

"No!" Mal cried. She rushed to rescue the ember as Celia whipped around her head of curls and ran away down the forest path.

"Celia!" Evie called after her. The forest at night was no place for a young girl to wander around alone.

Mal reached into the birdbath and frantically pulled out the ember. Its spark was gone. Desperate, Mal waved her fingers and attempted to relight it with a spell. She incanted: "_Regain your might and ignite_!"

Nothing happened. The ember sat still and dark.

Mal looked to Uma for help, but Uma was no longer interested in a dragon-octopus collaboration. "Bummer." Uma commented as she twirled her shell necklace in her hand. She turned to Harry. "Let's go find Gil and leave them all to rot."

Uma strode down the path away from Mal and everything she represented. Harry waved his hook with a flourish, pivoted on his heel, and followed Uma. The pirated were out of there.

"Uma!" Mal cried after her.

Mal's friends looked at her in dismay. Jay's handsome face turned down as he tried to process the news. Carlos's puppy dog eyes were filled with pure disappointment. Evie just shook her head at Mal, crushed by her friend's deceit.

Evie's scorching look of condemnation hit Mal hard. Evie drew her hands to her hips. "Closing the barrier was your idea?" Evie couldn't comprehend how Mal, of all people, could shut down the very program that had brought the four of them to Auradon. She'd forsaken everything they stood for.

"I had no choice," Mal pleaded. If they could all just see it from her perspective. . .

In that moment, there was a flash of lightning; then Ben, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Dude had all been turned to stone. Audrey's telltale fog swirled and billowed at their feet.

"Oh, no," Mal cried, her voice trembling with despair.

Mal's friends couldn't reply. They just stared at her with frozen expression of hurt, disappointment, and betrayal. Mal gazed at the cold dark ember in her hand and realized all was lost. She was wrought with unbearable guilt.

Audrey's voice boomed overhead. "Now you're all alone, just like I was . . ."

With a plan in mind, Mal headed off through the forest, toward Auradon Prep, hoping to right the wrongs she'd set in motion.

* * *

A short while later, Mal bolted onto campus and saw Uma and Harry crossing the rear quad. Mal scrambled to catch up with them. "Uma, stop. I need your help. We have a chance if we do this together."

"Your friends kick you to the curb?" Uma glowered at her. "Good." She let out a _hmph_ and kept walking.

Mal reached out to Uma again. "Ben saw something in you. And today, Uma, I saw it, too. You care, Uma. You care about everybody. Auradon is still worth saving. Help me, please," Mal implored her.

Uma paused and for a moment seemed to consider Mal's words. Then Harry stepped in. "You talk pretty, but she's made up her mind."

Uma's face set in a hardened expression. "You brought this on yourself, Mal. You figure out how to fix it. How about using that light you kept secret from the world?"

The two pirates pushed past Mal, who was left standing alone, the consequences of her own bad choices.

A hair-raising lightning bolt ripped through the sky over Auradon Prep. "Help me, Mal," cried a voice from above. _Wait a second_, Mal thought. _That was Celia's voice_.

Mal raised her eyes and saw Audrey's commanding silhouette atop the school's parapet. Mal's eyes flashed green and she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Dragon Mal rose ferociously out of the smoke. It was time to put an end to Audrey's reign of terror.

Mal flew above the school and spotted Audrey perched on the parapet below, cackling at her. Dragon Mal dove toward her and blasted the sorceress with her flaming breath. Audrey blocked and deflected the flame easily with her scepter. Her sinister laugh pierced the night as she returned a flurry of savage lightning bolts to Mal. Dragon Mal ducked and swerved, narrowly avoiding the crackling bolts.

Audrey pulled Celia tight to her chest and used the poor girl as a human shield.

"Be careful not to fry your little VK buddy," Audrey cackled vilely.

On the ground, Uma and Harry saw the sky illuminate and watched as Dragon Mal flew in circles around the parapet, narrowly escaping the crippling jolts of Audrey's scepter. "She doesn't stand a chance without the ember," mumbled Uma. Harry had to agree—_advantage: Audrey_ all the way.

On top of the parapet, Celia decided to take matters into her own hands. Using all her might, she wrenched violently and threw Audrey's aim off-kilter. "Hold still, you little brat," yelled Audrey.

Audrey tightened her grip on Celia and forced Dr. Facilier's willful daughter into submission, then searched the sky, took aim again, and released another round of unrelenting jolts at the soaring dragon. This time she didn't miss.

Dragon Mal's right wing took a direct hit. She reeled back, then faltered, her balance and flying skills both compromised by injury. Hope shriveled inside her. Dragon Mal dropped rapidly from the sky.

Uma pulled out her glowing shell necklace and began to shout. "Stronger together!" she screamed.

Mal looked down in total surprise and saw the pirate captain standing below with Harry Hook by her side. Uma, standing strong and proud, held her glowing shell necklace aloft.

"We're stronger together," Uma bellowed. "I'm right here, Mal. Regain your might and ignite!" Mal had been right. Uma did care, and she wasn't going anywhere. She was standing in solidarity with her friend. "I'm right here, girl, I'm right here!"

With reenergized resolve, Mal held out the unlit ember in her talon, flapped her one good wing with all her strength, and stared down intensely at Uma.

Uma looked into Mal's eyes and incanted: "_Regain your might and ignite!_" Her words were charged with even more passion and conviction this time.

In a magical moment, the ember in Mal's talon flared to life. The wing she had injured in the firefight healed. With renewed vigor, Dragon Mal spread her wings and returned to her fiery showdown against Audrey.

With courage and grit, Dragon Mal thrust the newly lit ember toward Audrey. Not to be outdone, Audrey's thrust her scepter toward Mal. Mal's blinding blue laser and Audrey's pink lightning bolt met in the middle of the sky. The two magics locked in a power struggle.

Dragon Mal's blue laser locked on to Audrey, flashed bright, then drained the sorceress of her power. Audrey felt herself weakening under the ember's crippling glow. She panicked and wailed, but it was too late. Maleficent's scepter fell from her hand to the ground with a clank. Audrey crumpled beside it, unconscious, the queen's crown no longer on her head.

Dragon Mal disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke as she landed on the stone tower. She emerged, back to human form, with her bluish-purple hair still sizzling a touch. The ember glowed in her hand.

"Mal!" Celia jumped in joy, ran hard to Mal, and hugged her tightly.

Mal put her arm around Celia protectively. "It's okay, Celia, I got you."

Mal looked over Celia's shoulder, noticed Audrey's lifeless body, and rushed to her side, distraught. "Audrey? Audrey?" She held out the lit ember, hoping its all-powerful magic would stir Audrey awake, but nothing happened.

Heartsick, Mal remembered her father's grave warning: _You're only half Hades. The ember won't do everything for you that it does for me._

Mal was crushed.

* * *

A short time later, everyone gathered in Audrey's dorm room. Anguish and despair hovered in the air. Mal and Evie kept constant vigil by Audrey's bedside, where she lay motionless. "She's slipping away," Evie commented.

Mal bit her lip in thought. "There's only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this. And that's Hades."

"Hades!" Ben exclaimed, thinking back to the horrifying battle on the bridge. That was not a scene the king wished to repeat. "He wouldn't do it, and I wouldn't risk it."

"Actually, he might do it for me," Mal insisted.

She took a deep breath. Mal had already revealed so many of her secrets today; what's one more to add to the bunch. Locking eyes with her fiancé, Mal revealed, "He's my father." She shook her head in aggravation. "It's cruel irony that I have so much light in me when my parents are the evilest villains in the world."

Jay and Carlos exchanged shocked looks. Neither of them had had any idea. Although that did explain Mal's temper.

Ben was hit with a sudden bolt of understanding, but even with this new information, he wasn't completely comfortable with the idea. Ben gazed into Mal's eyes. Her face was set with certainty; saving Audrey was worth the risk. "I'll have to send guard to get him," Ben determined.

Uma stepped forward, the seashells on her shirt clattering. "Maybe I can hitch a ride. The Isle is my home and someone needs to take care of it."

"Well then, you'll need a first mate." Harry placed both of his hands on her shoulders, ever loyal.

Mal nodded, moved by their selfless sacrifice. "Well then, the Isle will be in very good hands."

Celia stepped forward. "Can I go, too?" Celia liked Auradon—it was just that she missed her dad too much. "Wish I could be in both places," she added wistfully.

Mal wished that, too. She turned to Uma and Harry, her voice filled with sincerity. "I really think Evie was right. I really think Evie was right. I do think we could have been friends again. I'm really sorry I lied to all of you guys. You deserve so much better than that."

Jay jumped in. "You were just trying to do the right thing."

Mal looked at Jay, ever grateful for his friendship. One by one, each of the kids, even Uma and Harry, nodded at Mal with forgiveness.

"Yeah," Uma greed with a small smile.

Evie was the last holdout. Mal turned to her BFF, her eyes brimming with hope. Finally, Evie nodded. "I get it," she insisted.

They really were all stronger together.


	38. Descendants 3: Chapter 10

**I am so sorry that I did not publish this chapter when I had promised and that it took so long for me to add! **

**I had to type some of this chapter on the ride home, but started to get car sick. I was supposed to be coming home today but some family drama happen which resulted in a five to six hour car ride with us not getting home until nearly midnight last night (or this morning). I didn't wake up 'til nearly ten this morning but then had to leave a few minutes later for a family event.**

**I'll post the final chapter when I can.**

_**This**_** is the chapter that has my idea.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A looming black SUV pulled into the Auradon Prep circular drive. Four commanding officers of the Auradon Royal Guard stepped out. One opened the rear door while flanked by the other three, who stood ready to surround the obviously dangerous passenger. Hades's feet, which were locked together in chains, hit the pavement with a clank.

Upstairs, Audrey lay stiff and lifeless in her dorm room bed, looking every bit a princess once more with her pink gown and long brushed hair. Queen Leah, grief-stricken, sat beside her motionless granddaughter and held her hand. Fairy Godmother and Belle stood attentively on Audrey's other side. Beast paced the rug a few feet away.

There was a knock at the door. Mal, wearing a subdued lavender shirt and a tasteful gold skirt, jumped to open it. But Beast beat her to it.

Hades stood towering in the doorway, legs shackled, hands cuffed, and guards on all sides. The officers escorted him into the room. The god of the Underworld's menacing presence sent an uncomfortable ripple through the air. Everyone was clearly on edge.

"Hello, Princess," Hades greeted his daughter with a small nod.

Mal thought she saw him wince in pain, but merely rolled her eyes to cover up her staring. A dragon barrette pulled her bluish-purple hair back neatly into a low ponytail. As she stood close to Hades, the family resemblance was unmistakable. "I'm not a princess," she retorted.

"I am king of the Underworld," he reminded sternly. "That makes you a princess."

Mal sighed softly, knowing they had more important things to discuss. "Thank you for coming."

"Didn't have much of a choice," Hades retorted, his shackles clanging with his slightest movement. Mal noticed that he was hunched over, like his restraints were weighing him down, but that couldn't be true. He was a god. Surely, he could handle the weight of simple chains.

Right?

"Can you wake her?" Ben interrogated.

"Since when do heroes care about villains?" Hades hissed, danger clear in his voice. "Your father certainly doesn't."

Mal tilted her head curiously at the remark. Her father spoke as though he has dealt with Beast before.

"She's . . ." Ben stopped and realized there was no good answer for that.

"One of your own," Hades finished, shaking his head in disbelief. "Right. When you guys try to destroy the world, it's an error in judgement. But when it's one of us, lock 'em up, throw away the key. . . ." Hades leveled a glare at Beast. "And ignore their pleas for help. Right, Beast?"

Mal registered the troubling double standard and furrowed her brow. Hades had a point. It did seem terribly unfair. But what was up with his extra jabs at the retired king?

Suddenly, Hades jerked his arms in the air. Everyone startled in fear.

"I'm going to need my hands," he insisted.

With apprehension, Mal signaled for his release. She learned from Uma to trust that sometimes help came from unexpected places.

The tension in the room rose as Hades rubbed his wrists together, then held out his hand, ready to reclaim his unrivaled object of power. Mal cautiously gave Hades the glowing ember. His hair burst into blue flames, and the ember burned even brighter. Mal suddenly realized he had been extremely pale earlier when the color returned to his face once he held the ember.

"I haven't lost my touch," Hades remarked, relishing the feeling of the magic as it ran through his veins. For the first time in a long while, he felt whole.

Hades moseyed right up to Beast, growling as he stared into his eyes. With his peerless powers restored, Hades could defeat Beast in one quick blast. Beast didn't flinch. He, too, unleashed an intimidating guttural roar. The two men stood nose to nose, both ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

"Give me one good reason why I should help you in your time of need," Hades challenged as his blue eyes glowed due to the power of the ember. "You didn't during mine."

Beast flinched, adverting his gaze at the reminder. "I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I truly am."

"You're only sorry because you found out I told the truth," Hades retorted bitterly, "after I had _begged_! For eleven _years_! Can you name another villain that would do such a thing for their daughter's life? _No!_ I'm the only one!"

Mal, who had silently watched the exchange for a few moments, decided she need some answers. "What are you—"

"I knew about your light." Hades declared as he clenched his fist that held the ember. "During the fourteen years that you've had it, I spent eleven of those years begging Beast to let you live in Auradon."

"She's living in Auradon now," Beast pointed out.

"Not because of you!" Hades shouted over him. "Your son is the reason my daughter is alive! _You_ are the reason she almost died!"

"Hold up!" Mal stood between the two arguing fathers in a small attempt to dissipate the fight. She adverted her attention to her father. "What do you mean . . ." She trailed off. The words couldn't form since an uneasy lump formed in her throat.

Hades tightened his grip once again on the ember. "I'll show you."

Raising the ember in the air, most were blinded by the blue light as the room transformed into one they hadn't seen before. Well, Mal has. It was the living room of her house on the Isle. Mal gazed around to see Ben, his parents, and Fairy Godmother looking as confused as she was. Queen Leah was nowhere in sight and there was no sign of Hades.

As Mal was about to call out for her father, he suddenly walked into the room with a somber look on his face. Before Mal could ask where he disappeared to, a child-like squeal could be heard from somewhere behind her. Hades's face instantly lit up when a young girl ran pass Mal and jumped into his arms. When he peppered her with kisses on her cheeks, causing the little girl to giggle uncontrollably, it finally clicked in Mal's mind.

"This is the day he left me," Mal announced to the four spectators, "and the day my light first appeared. That girl . . . is _me_."

Once Hades finished kissing his young daughter's cheek, he rested her on hip. "Hello, Princess," he greeted happily.

Child Mal rolled her eyes playfully. "Daddy, I'm not a princess," she argued persistently.

"I am the King of the Underworld," Hades reminded as his smile grew, "that makes you a princess. Although, it may help if you have this." From inside his jacket, Hades pulled out a beautiful tiara made out of a black metal and bright purple and blue gems.

"A little something to make you look like royalty." Hades carefully placed the delicate item on Child Mal's small head. "There! Now you look like one of those Auradonians."

Young Mal's happy smile for her gift turned into a look of fear when she looked behind her father. Hades turned to see Maleficent, Mal's mother, standing in the doorway. With a soft sigh he set his little girl on the ground. "Go to your room," Hades instructed softly. "I'll tell you a bedtime story in a few."

With a nod of her little head, Child Mal began walking to her room until she abruptly stopped when Maleficent forcefully tore the tiara off her head, ripping some of her hair out in the process. Clutching her head, she looked at her father expectantly as her eyes began to water.

"I'll handle it," he promised. "Go."

Nodding again, Child Mal once again walked pass Adult Mal, who couldn't take her eyes off her father.

Waiting for his child to close her bedroom door, Hades adverted his attention to Maleficent with a soft sigh. "You sensed her light at the marketplace," he determined calmly. "She needs to go to Auradon to learn how to control it."

"I sensed nothing," Maleficent retorted stubbornly. "There should only be darkness in her heart."

"She's my daughter too," Hades argued as his temper slowly started to rise. "I can the sense the light in her and it's weak. If her light goes out, who knows what could happen to her."

"If she is truly my daughter, then she will live." Maleficent determined. "Now, hurry up with your ridiculous routine and get out." She raised the tiara up. "And take _this_ with you. I don't need everyone on the Isle knowing she is your daughter."

"Routine?" Ben quietly questioned Mal.

"I remember," she announced, as though she had forgotten it. "After my parents split, Dad made a point to see me every night. He would tell me a story, tuck me in, and then lay with me until I fell asleep. When I had trouble going to sleep, he would hum a lullaby until I was out."

With a light glare, Hades reluctantly grabbed the accessory and placed it back in his jacket pocket. A bright blue light enveloped the room, changing the scenery once again. This time the spectators were in Mal's old bedroom, where Hades had just finished telling five-year-old Mal a story.

As Hades tucked his daughter into her bed, young Mal wondered, "Daddy . . . do you think I could wield the Way to Dawn?"

"I think so," Hades encouraged as he moved the shredded blankets higher up her little body. "You are a very determined girl with powerful parents. It is very possible."

"But you said it was broken," Young Mal reminded sadly. "And there's no way to fix a broken Keyblade. Everyone knows that."

"But _you_ may be the person it needs to repair itself." Satisfied that his little girl was covered enough, Hades settled next to her on top of the covers. He kissed her forehead before vowing, "I promise, you will one day wield the Way to Dawn."

Hades's voice echoed around the room, saying something he told Mal when she visited him on the Isle.

_Don't say I don't keep my promises._

In a blink of the eye, the room changed again. They were still on the Isle, but no longer at the Bargain Castle. It was a simple home, most likely on the outskirts of town, with a single bedroom, a kitchen big enough for one person, and a living room that essentially served as a dining room.

Hades had his back against the wall in defeat while Professor Yen Sid, looking younger than he does now, stood a few feet away from the guard.

"I'm sorry," Yen Sid apologized sincerely. "If you want your daughter to live, you staying away from her is the best option until we can get Beast to take her to Auradon."

Hades swallowed a lump in his throat to keep his watering eyes from spilling over. "How long will it take?"

Yen Sid sighed. "A few months to a few years."

"_Years_?" Hades repeated incredulously as he bit back a sob. "Mal is my _world_. Everything I do revolves around her, from keeping her safe from her mother to making sure she falls asleep happy. You're saying I have to _lose_ my _world_?"

"I'm sorry," Yen Sid repeated with a soft sigh. "By staying away, you will slow down the process of her light deteriorating."

Hades shook his head stubbornly. "The Fates are cruel," he decided. "All I ever wanted was a child that I could call my own. After many so eons of trying, I get a beautiful daughter, but her mother claims custody of her and I have to stay away so she can live."

"It won't be for long," Yen Sid reassured. "With you and I practically harassing King Beast, he will eventually cave and allow her to live in Auradon. If not, then perhaps I could convince him to send us the Way to Dawn and then teach Mal to wield it. It would help her fuel and control her light to where she could survive."

"But would the Way to Dawn allow her to wield it?" Hades wondered. "I promised her she one day could, but isn't it partial to its original owner?"

"I still have some magic while trapped under this dome," Yen Sid revealed cautiously. "I do have the ability to travel to his world. I can explain the situation to him and then see if he will give his blessing for her to wield it."

Hades pondered on the idea and the possibility of it actually succeeding, which was pretty slim. "What if Beast doesn't comply?" The god wondered realistically. "What if he refuses to help with either situation, even after Mal has the blessing? What will we do then?"

Yen Sid sighed once again. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "We will have to do something to show him we are serious, but I don't know what that will be."

Hades hesitated as he rested a hand on the outside pocket of his jacket. After a moment, he dug inside before pulling out a glass vial about the height of a soda, but half the width. Inside was a green substance that could potentially be the solution to their problem.

Hades raised the glass container so Yen Sid could see it. "_This_," he began dramatically, "is the same potion my minions used to take away Hercules's god powers as a baby. He retained some since he didn't drink all of it. I can bargain with Beast. I lose my immortality, strength, and god powers in exchange for Mal living in Auradon."

Mal gasped. Her jaw dropped as her eyes became wide in disbelief. There was no way her father would do such a thing for her. But that would explain . . .

Yen Sid gingerly grabbed the vial away from Hades before he could do something he would later regret. "We will use this only when we are desperate," the professor insisted. "I will keep it here for safe keeping. Until then don't lose hope. Who knows? Your daughter may be in Auradon by the end of the week."

As soon as he finished speaking, the scene changed once again. This time, they were on the back streets of the Isle. The five watched as Hades was storming down the road, with Yen Sid struggling to catch up. When he was finally within reach, Yen Sid grabbed the god's arm to stop him.

"Hades, you're being too rash!" The professor shouted. "There's no need to use the potion!"

Hades whirled on him. Mal couldn't believe how saddened her father looked. His bright blue eyes were blood-shot and his cheeks were stained with dry tears.

"_TOO RASH?!_" Hades screamed angrily. "Jafar's son had to perform CPR on _MY DAUGHTER_ because her heart stopped beating because her light is so weak! I have begged that worthless king for eleven _YEARS _to save her and he has done nothing! _This_ is the only way that I can prove to him that I'm serious. That I am telling the _TRUTH_!"

Mal remembered the incident all too well. It was just a couple days after the quest for her mother's scepter when she fainted in the middle of the marketplace. When she came too, a crowd had formed around her and Jay informed her that she technically died for three minutes.

"It was an after effect from touching her mother's wand," Yen Sid explained calmly. "Yes, her weakened light made the situation worse, but it is only a one time thing. It won't happen again."

"You can't guarantee that," Hades argued testily. "And you can't change my mind."

Hades knocked Yen Sid away and marched off with a new purpose in his strides. Mal expected the scene to change again, but a goblin suddenly stood next to the professor.

"A letter from Auradon," the goblin announced as he handed the envelope to the professor.

"Finally!" Yen Sid ripped it open and read the contents of the letter. His facial expression went from relief to realization in a matter of seconds. Stuffing the paper in his pocket, he ran down the road after Hades.

With another blink, they were back at Yen Sid's home. Although it had been neat and orderly when they last seen it, it was now _completely_ trashed. Furniture was on its side, a chair had been smashed against the wall, a lamp laid broken where it original stood on the end-table, books were thrown off their shelf, etc.

In the middle of the chaos stood Hades, who held the potion in his trembling hand. He stared at the bottle uncertainly, like he was second guessing his decision. With a soft sigh, Hades made a move to set the bottle down when something on the ground caught his attention. A tiara made out of a black metal decorated with purple and blue gems laid on its side under the end table, having fallen out of Hades's pocket during his moment of rage.

Hades's blue eyes glowed with new resolve as he steadily raised the vial higher than before. "For my princess," he declared.

No!

Mal surged forward to knock the container out of her father's hand. There was no way she would let him give up his godly powers for her.

As Hades brought the potion to his lips, Mal swung her arm out to stop him. Her hand merely went through it like it was a mirage. Mal could do nothing, but watch in horror as her father downed the drink like a life depended on it. Mal unconsciously cried as she watched her father's powers slip away from him.

Abruptly the vial was tossed away from Hades. Hades jerked his head toward Mal, before his eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head. He collapsed to the ground, his head hitting against the table.

"_DAD!_"

Luckily, Mal didn't have to watch the horrifying scene for long. The scenery changed. Hades was now laying on the couch with a bundle of torn cloth pressed against his head while Yen Sid stood a few feet away.

Hades inspected the cloth for a moment. When he saw both red and gold, he shook his head in dismay before placing the cloth back. "Still have some ichor in me," he commented weakly. "Why did you stop me?"

"I received a letter from Auradon," Yen Sid announced. "Just a few moments after you stormed off."

Hades sat up as best as he could, nearly blacking out in the process. "Beast finally wrote back?" the god assumed. "What did he say?"

"It wasn't from him," Yen Sid denied softly. "It was from his son, Ben, the prince and future king of Auradon. He wrote to me two days ago about his first proclamation as king—that will begin a week before his coronation—and asked for the best candidates."

The professor offered a small smile. "Hades . . . your daughter is going to Auradon."

Hades fell back on the couch, a single tear slipped down his cheek in relief as he gazed at the ceiling. "_Thank the gods_."

For the final time, everyone was blinded by the bright blue light, returning them to Audrey's dorm room. The five of them were pretty spooked by what they watched/experienced. The tears were still silently trickling down Mal's cheeks without her realizing.

Hades, who was spent from using so much of his magic, was leaning against a wall to keep himself from falling over.

"After seeing _everything_ I had to go through when begging for my daughter's life," Hades began bitterly, "why should I do _anything_ for you Auradonians?"

Mal stepped in front of her father before he could do anything. "Do it for _me_," she insisted as she held back a sob. "Please, Daddy?"

Hades studied the pleading expression on his daughter's face, then reluctantly acceded. He moved off the wall and stumbled to Audrey's bedside. Queen Leah, clearly terror-stricken in Hades's presence, stayed by Audrey's side and clutched her granddaughter's hand protectively.

Hades held the glowing ember above Audrey and swirled it through the air. Under Hades's command, the ember emitted a dark whirlpool of colors, which grew progressively lighter and brighter. As Hades worked his magic, pulsating shafts of colored light moved through the room. With a flash of brilliant blue light, Audrey awakened with a stretch, as if she'd just woken from the most peaceful nap.

Hades tossed the ember into the air like _It ain't no big thing. I just saved the girl when no one saved my daughter_.

Queen Leah sobbed with relief and clasped her granddaughter. "Audrey, you're okay," she cried.

Audrey noticed Mal and Ben first, and her face flooded with shame. "Tell me it was all a bad dream."

"I wish I could," Ben claimed. "But it's over now." He tried to sound reassuring.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to hurt you both. I wanted to hurt all of you," Audrey admitted, mortified by her actions.

Audrey moved to the edge of the bed toward Mal, who took her hand and looked at her solemnly. Audrey wasn't the only who was sorry. "I have owed you an apology for a very long time now," Mal admitted with heartfelt realization.

"So have I," Ben added.

Queen Leah stepped to Mal. "And perhaps I've owed you one as well." Queen Leah gave the slightest curtsy and bowed her head a touch. One small bow from Queen Leah was a giant step for villain-kind. Mal returned the curtsy.

As everyone fawned over Audrey, the guards re-handcuffed Hades, then led the dangerous captive back into the Auradon Prep hallway. Mal immediately followed after them. "Daddy!" she yelped.

Hades tried to step toward his daughter, but the guards restrained him from getting any closer.

"I finally get it. Thank you," Mal began with a small smile, "for sacrificing _everything_ so I could live; so _I _could have everything."

Hades shrugged sheepishly. "Thanks for a glimpse of the sun," he replied. The lines around his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

Smoothing her hand over her purple-and-blue hair, Mal surprised her father when she went to his side to kiss him on the cheek. When Mal had leaned against her father, she felt something hard inside his pocket. After Hades motioned for her to look for it, Mal opened his jacket and pulled out a certain object.

That 'object' was the tiara he gifted to her when she was five years old, but wasn't allowed to keep because of her mother. After all this time, fourteen years to be exact, he still kept it on him.

"It's rightfully yours," Hades insisted with a painful smile. "Now the world can know that _you_ are my princess."

Hades turned his back to her and opened his left hand, which held the ember. Mal carefully took it and held it close to her heart with her tiara. She watched as he was led down the hall, once again a captive on his way to permanent imprisonment on the Isle. As he continued down the hall, Hades turned back for one last look at his daughter and left her with a knowing wink—

Like he knew they would see each other again.


	39. Descendants 3: Chapter 11

**This is the final chapter of retelling Descendants 3.**

**Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. **

**Our special guest makes her final appearance.**

**Or . . . is it?**

* * *

One week later, Mal and Ben's engagement party was in full swing on the multi-leveled terrace overlooking Auradon's Bridge Plaza. In contrast to the Isle's dilapidated Bridge Plaza, Auradon's was a magnificent tree-lined court with four decks connected by blue carpet-lined stairs. It was the ideal setting to celebrate the joyful occasion.

Mal was the picture of grace in a metallic-orchid dress, elbow-length lilac gloves, gold peep-toe booties, and her black tiara with purple and blue gems. Ben also looked dashing in a sharp three-piece blue suit sans tie. He took Mal's arm in his, and together the gorgeous couple walked through the tunnel and into the party in progress.

"There they are," Evie announced, who gave off an air of sophistication in a structured midnight-blue gown of her own design. She looked at Doug, who stood by her side in a mint-green suit and blue shirt. Mal and Ben weren't the only ones in love.

Mal and Ben grinned at their friends, then at each other as they took in the festive scene. Uniformed waiters circulated throughout the plaza, balancing silver trays piled with gourmet food. Jubilant party guests in chic cocktail dresses and stylish sport coats mixed and mingled.

Dizzy, dressed to the nines in a black-and-moss polka-dot frock, spun between Squeaky and Squirmy, who both wore blue-and-white-striped tailcoats. The swanky event was a definite first for the impoverished Isle kids.

Mal waved to the guests, then smiled kindly at Audrey. It was Audrey's first public appearance since her recent touch with evil and darkness. She looked herself again in a beaded pink off-the-shoulder dress and her demure bluebird necklace.

Ben kissed Mal's hand, then escorted her up the stairs to the plaza's balcony. The king clinked his crystal punch glass to get everyone's attention. "Lady Mal and I want to thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today," he told the crowd, before turning toward his future bride. "I couldn't be prouder or happier to call you my queen." With a wide smile, he looked back at the celebrating masses. "So, raise your glasses to our future queen of Auradon!"

The guest all raised their glasses high in the air. "To our queen of Auradon."

"Speech, Your Specialness," shouted Carlos, all dressed up in a black-and-white paisley jacket and skinny-cut black pants. Smitten, Jane stood by his side in a cornflower lace midi-dress and her one-of-a-kind Jarlos necklace, her birthday present from Carlos.

"Speech, oh fancy one," Jay yelled, laughing. The gold embroidery on his sport coat reflected the glow of the twinkle lights. With his hair tied up in a tidy bun, he clapped for Mal. She deserved all of it.

Mal looked at the expectant faces that surrounded her, especially those of the villain kids. She shook her head. "I can't," she denied. "I can't be the queen of Auradon. Not yet."

The audience stirred. Evie gasped. Ben's face dropped as he stepped closer to her. "Mal?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't turn my back on the Isle."

She addressed the crowd again. "The Royal Council is in the midst of deciding to close the barrier. We are only one vote away from closing it off for good. The idea was admittedly mine, but it was wrong. I've learned that you can't live in fear, because it doesn't protect you from anything. You never know where the bad is going to from and you never know where the heroes are going to come from, either. Without Uma and her loyal pirates, Auradon would be gone. And without Hades . . . my father—"

Of course, the audience gasped at the new revelation, muttering to one another in surprise. "Audrey would be gone too," Mal added. "We are all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from." She raised her head with clear insight and strength of a leader.

But a leader reveals everything about a situation. It was time the world knew the truth.

"The same goes for the light and darkness inside a person," Mal continued with more confidence than before. "Due to certain unfortunate circumstances, you all know that King Ben has darkness inside him, yet he was born in Auradon. I, the daughter of Maleficent _and _the daughter of Hades, born on the Isle of the Lost, have only light inside me. I have _no_ darkness. My father spent almost all my life begging King Beast to let me live in Auradon so my light wouldn't fade away, but the retired king believed he was lying. I don't, no . . . I _won't_ rule a kingdom where half the population is ignored!"

Mal turned to King Ben with conviction and determination. "I can't be the queen of just Auradon. I have to be queen of the Isle too." She smiled knowingly. "Ben . . . I want to remove the barrier too."

"You can't do that," Beast argued, alarmed at the mere suggestion.

Ben stood shoulder to shoulder with his beloved and looked at his father. "It's up to us, Dad. In case you already forgot, your stubbornness almost costed the life of my future queen. I won't let it cost the life of anyone else."

Ben adverted his attention to their audience. "I chose to be a king who moves forward. It's time for forgiveness. It's time for new beginnings. The barrier will come down!"

It was an official royal proclamation. Auradon and the Isle would finally be united as one.

"Yes!" Carlos exclaimed with unabashed glee. "Woo-hooo-hoooo!"

Doug, Jane, and the crowd hooted and cheered. Evie, Jay, and Carlos were ecstatic and moved by the historic event. Even Chad, Audrey, and Queen Leah, who had a new empathy for villains, applauded.

Ben smiled proudly and gave the honor of dismantling the barrier to the future queen of the United States of Auradon. "Bring it down, Mal."

Fairy Godmother stepped forward to offer Mal her wand, but Mal raised a hand to stop her. "I have another way, a different way, to bring it down," Mal reassured, before gazing down at her three friends. "But I will need the help of my friends. After all, they are my power."

This honor wasn't hers alone; they had achieved the opening of the Isle together. Jay, Evie, and Carlos joined her up on the balcony. The four original VKs stood together with pride.

Mal took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. It was the moment of truth. Was she worthy?

Extending her arm out in front of her, she held her breath as her hand was enveloped in a bright light. When the light faded, she now grasped the famous Keyblade known as the Way to Dawn, the very weapon she adored as a child thanks to her father.

With a smile gracing her lips, Mal began, "_To make the world a better place . . ."_

"_We have to do it face to face_," Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos declared in unison.

Mal's eyes briefly flashed green as her body became surrounded in a layer of her light. Grasping the Keyblade with both of her hands, Mal pointed it at the Isle of the Lost, a beam of light emitting from the edge of the tip. With a crackle, the barrier, which for so long had separated the Isle from Auradon, began to come down. It popped, shattered, then exploded into a brilliant shower of emeralds that rained into the sea.

The divider between the two lands was no more.

With a grateful smile, Mal used the Keyblade—_her_ Keyblade again. She moved her hands to create a dazzling bridge that stretched from the Auradon City shore to the Isle of the Lost. It was a bridge anyone could cross at any time. The island was no longer a prison.

All the VKs of the Isle were free.

On the dilapidated Isle streets, elated villain kids celebrated. They'd been liberated! Without the barrier to act as a shade, rays of sunshine broke through the gloom and shone down on the Isle.

Uma threw her arms out wide and spun around triumphantly. "My plan," she claimed, and it was. Ben had been right: Uma was part of the solution. "Yeeesss!" she exclaimed as she bounded up the stairs.

Uma stood on the balcony above the Isle's Bridge Plaza and looked across the sea at Mal, who stood on a parallel balcony in Auradon. From Uma's perspective, Mal had done right by the Isle kids in the end. The dragon girl had redeemed herself.

Mal looked back across the sea and smiled at Uma with utmost appreciation. When Mal had been in her most desperate moment, Uma had stepped up and helped. For that, Mal would be eternally grateful.

Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben surrounded Mal on the Auradon terrace balcony while Harry, Gil, and Celia rallied around Uma on the Isle. Both groups frolicked, danced, and paraded toward the center of the bridge. There the two crews abandoned their irreconcilable differences and formed one indivisible team.

Everything went quiet once the Isle kids reached Auradon. King Ben stood before the people of Auradon, looked at Mal and the throngs of villain offspring behind her, and took a knee before the Isle kids. The Auradon citizens followed his lead and bowed to the VKs.

After a moment of utter disbelief, the VKs swarmed the plaza in jubilation, whooping, hollering, and living it up. With Auradon and the Isle united at last, everyone—whoever they were, wherever they were from—threw their arms in the air and danced and sang with unbridled happiness.

Mal threw her arms around Dizzy and Celia, then watched as they grabbed Squeaky and Squirmy and ran to hug Dr. Facilier, Lady Tremaine, and Smee.

Mal and Ben searched the crowd for a certain someone. They got a certain surprise when a white ink-like blob crawled up Mal's leg and manifested into a creature in her arms. That 'creature' was a Heartless called a Shadow, but this one had white skin with purple, green, and now blue designs all over it—_her _body.

"Halo!" Mal greeted happily as she held the Heartless closer to her. "I've missed you!"

"I hope you've missed me too, Princess."

Mal jerked her head up to see her father, who was hard to miss with his blue hair. Halo jumped out of Mal's arms to stand next to Hades, changing form into a Neoshadow—the 'adult' version of a Shadow. Hades automatically leaned against her for support.

Although he was weak, Hades smiled warmly at his daughter. "Am I invited to the wedding?" he teased.

Mal ran to Hades, bridging the difference, and, for the first time ever, publicly hugged her father. She no longer had to fear her mother's wrath for doing such a thing. At first, Hades stood with his arms stiff at his side. It had been so long since he has been on the receiving end of an embrace, almost fourteen years. Instinctively, the villain raised his hands and hugged his beloved daughter back.

Once they pulled away, Hades's smile grew. "I'm sure you'll be very happy together," he insisted.

Mal turned to her fiancé and allowed him to wrap her up in his arms in a loving embrace. Over Mal's shoulder, Hades gave Ben the _I'm watching you_ gesture. Ben smiled, unsure if the god of the Underworld was kidding. After seeing what he had done for his daughter, Ben had no doubt that Hades would do anything and everything for his princess.

"Welcome to Auradon," Ben greeted kindly.

Hades glared at the king, still showing that he was threatening him. This relationship was going to take a little bit of getting used to. Okay, a lot of getting used to. But it would be worth it, to marry the girl he loved with all his heart.

There would be a lot to do with a wedding to plan.

And thanks to Yen Sid, there will be a few special guests to watch the ceremony—

Which you will see in November 2019.


End file.
